Path Of The Sun
by SkiesOfAmethyst
Summary: After the devastating effects of Cold Paw, the remnants of the Clans must struggle to survive as one, following the demands of a long-passed prophecy. Their promised peace may not be as StarClan-blessed as they first thought, however, and the cats of the Clans will soon find that the trouble has only just begun. (Sequel to Hidden Sparrow's Destiny)
1. Chapter 1

_**Welcome back everyone! For those who are new, this story is the SEQUEL to my other story, Hidden Sparrow's Destiny, so there will definitely be some spoilers for that last story in this one. However, you can certainly read them in whatever order you wish!**_

_**Photo credit goes towards Apofiss on deviantart! They do a lot of artwork like this of cats and its really awesome! You should check them out!**_

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**_~SPOILERS AHEAD~_**

_The setting of this story takes place based off of the presumption that the lake territories were on the western coast of the United States. When following Bubble away from the tainted lake water, many moons later the remainder of the Clans arrived in a climate that never sees snow, even during leaf-fall. This climate is based off of Utah/Arizona, specifically the Lake Powell area, and inspiration from Antelope Canyon in Arizona for the camp and moonrock! Please do look up pictures of the latter if you've never heard of it or seen it, they are canyons that are very beautiful and the walls appear as if they are painted. Rather than imagining a dark and cold "Cave" when I say the word cave, picture some of the amazing areas in Antelope Canyon._

**_Here are some things that happened during the journey:_**

_Emberfall caught Greencough and did not survive. Wildpaw's training was designated towards Webstar himself. Webstar appointed Nettlefire as deputy, much to the disagreement of former ThunderClan and WindClan warriors._

_Newtpool, a ThunderClan she-cat, had her kits almost immediately after arriving to the new location. Her mate, Pebblebreeze, also caught Greencough shortly after Emberfall and died. Other cats caught Greencough during the journey, but Butterflypaw was able to cure them._

_At the end of the journey, Nettlefire advocated for Bubble to recieve her warrior name, due to the fact that she'd proven her loyalty many times over, and that he'd unofficially trained her. He suggested her suffix be Tide-, like the water that is moved by changes in the moon. Webstar obliged, and Bubble was given the name Tidewhisper._

_Tidewhisper moved into the nursery as soon as the camp was thoroughly established._

_Once they arrived in their new camp, Bravekit and Riverkit began their apprenticeship. _

**_This sequel begins two days after they've arrived at the new location. The first couple days were spent designating the den locations and catching food just outside the camp. _**

**_The room they came into when finding the area is to be the room medicine cats go to speak to StarClan, and where leader's recieve their nine lives. This "Moonrock" is at the deepest part of the camp's canyons and caves, and the two shallow caves branching off of this room serve as the leader's den and the medicine den. Traveling outward from the Moonrock, a cat would reach the nursery and elder's den, then the warrior's and apprentice's dens, which are across from each other. A large cavern in between the warrior and apprentice dens is where cats will share tongues and keep the fresh-kill pile. This is also the entrance to the canyon._**

_Yes, the epilogue of the last story is the prologue of this one._

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_As always the following section will remain relatively updated, but instead of changing it throughout the story, I will post a new "Cats Of The Clans" section every ten chapters or so depending on how much changes. __Below, a letter will represent which Clan the cats originally belonged to, with rogues/loners/kittypets being left blank, as well as any new kits that are born after I first post this__. I'm always willing to accept OC's especially those originally from ThunderClan or WindClan._

* * *

_Cats Of The Clans_

_(An updated Cats Of The Clans is posted at the end of Chapter 9)_

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**SunClan**

**Leader-**

Webstar- White tom with uneven black stripes (S)

**Deputy-**

Nettlefire- Light grey tom with long pointed, disheveled fur (S)

**Medicine Cat-**

Butterflypaw- Grey-blue she-cat with silver tipped ears and paws, and light brown eyes (mentored by Tidewhisper and Hidinglight) (S)

**Warriors-**

Sagefrost- White she-cat with one blue eye and one brown eye, deaf on the side of the blue eye (T)

Finchberry- She-cat with short cream-brown fur (W)

Turtlespot- Dark brown tom with lighter brown spots (T)

Dewthistle- White-grey she-cat with a silver muzzle and paws (W)

Applesplash- Ginger and white she-cat with blue eyes (W)

Quailfoot- Black and white tom (W)

Grassdaze- Black she-cat with stunning green eyes (S)

Adderspring- Ginger tabby tom with amber eyes (T)

Sparrowdawn- Mostly white tom with few brown tabby patches (S)

Hidinglight- Tortoiseshell she-cat with a crooked, shortened tail and a peach colored hind leg (S)

Maplerunner- Light brown tabby tom (W)

Rainpoppy- Dark grey tabby she-cat (S)

Blackbreeze- Black she-cat with golden eyes (W)

**Apprentices-**

Redpaw- Reddish brown tabby tom (Apprentice to Sagefrost) (T)

Wildpaw- Dark grey tom with green eyes and white tipped ears (Apprentice to Webstar) (S)

Riverpaw- Grey she-cat with a white tipped tail and paws, and stunning blue eyes (Apprentice to Finchberry) (R)

Bravepaw- Long furred cream and white tom with green eyes (Apprentice to Maplerunner) (S)

Houndpaw- Black tom with a white tuft on his chest (Apprentice to Applesplash) (T)

**Queens-**

Tidewhisper- Silver she-cat with copper eyes and blue-grey spots. Claims to have a connection to the moon. (Formerly known as Bubble, expecting Nettlefire's kits)

Newtpool- Reddish-brown she-cat with dark spots (mother of Thunderkit, a brown she-kit with a white muzzle, and Quietkit, a spotted silver tom) (T)

**Elders-**

Rubblestorm- Brown tabby tom with a white muzzle (W)

**Cats Outside The Clans**

**Loners-**

Creek- Grey tom with dark and lighter brown stripes, yellow eyes, and long whiskers

Rose- Reddish-brown she-cat (mother of Dusk, a reddish-brown she-kit with a fluffy tail and few teeth)

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**Prologue**

_Paws aching, one cat after the other placed their feet on the cool stone surface. The land had long given way to rocky outcrops, clear skies, and little underbrush. Though it was still leaf-fall, the days had somehow grown unbearably hot after the many moons of their journey. Because of this, and guidance by the moon, they traveled at night, when the temperatures dropped to a more leaf-fall reminiscent temperature, leaving every cat shivering._

_Now, the tiny silver she-cat with blue-grey spots led the stream of cats forward, padding certainly despite the rise of smooth stone above and around them. Murmurs of uncertainty echoed quietly in the group of cats, but several perked up as the sound of rushing water echoed from some distant corner of the canyon._

_They padded until the whispering of wind outside long went silent, coming to a stop as the arching walls opened up into a larger area, where the many cats spilled and collected uncertainly. The tiny she-cat stood at the base of a rock, staring intently for several long moments. "This is the place," She mewed certainly._

_"This place?" One cat's voice rose above the rest, incredulous. Amber eyes narrowed to slits as a mostly white tom with tabby spots took in the cave that they were in. "How do you know?" A lithe tabby tom chimed in, eyes wide and uncertain. "This place is nothing like WindClan."_

_"Or ThunderClan!" Another cat piped up._

_The tiny silver cat did not seem fazed by the protests surrounding her. Rather, in answer, she turned towards the large stone before her, gesturing with her tail. Silence fell into the cavern, and it seemed that hours passed, with all the cats holding their breath._

_Then it happened. The tiniest hole in the roof of the cavern caught the perfect angle of the moonlight, and a stream of glimmering light fell onto the stone before the silver she-cat. Almost instantly, the cavern came alive with the moonlight, lighting up the dazzling warm colors of the sweeping walls, bursting with lively shades of reds, oranges, and yellows, as if mimicking the colors of a rising sun. Gasps echoed amongst the cats, murmurs of amazement and awe._

_One cat stepped forward among the rest, a white tom cat with uneven black stripes. "Cats of the Clans!" He announced, voice hoarse from thirst and the long journey. "StarClan has shown us that we have arrived at our new home. Our journey showed us that we are not four, but one, and I believe the prophecy and this room has made it very clear. From this moment on, we shall be known together as SunClan, for rising again after the cool, unforgiving night."_

_At that, yowls of agreement filled the stunning cavern, and for the briefest of moments, the cats swore they could feel many pelts beside their own, adding to the sound with encouraging and joyous voices of those that had been loved and lost._

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Small cream and white paws scrambled up the sloped, shaded stone. The gentle sounds of many cats breathing filled the cavern, but being a prior ShadowClan cat, he stepped silently so as not to wake the travel weary cats. In the distant corners of the canyon, he could hear echoes of prey that hadn't caught the memo that this area was no longer a safe refuge from the unforgiving sun.

At long last, the tiniest stream of light filtered through, and the small tom picked up pace to a brisk run, racing out of the cool canyon air and out into the open sky.

His eyes adjusted to the pale beginnings of dawn, and his heartbeat quickened as streams of gold, red, and pink lit up the rocky, mountainous landscape and the vast river before him. Hurriedly, he scrambled to the top of the cavern entrance, getting a higher view of the land in his immediate vicinity and that from far away. Skirting the vast river (much too large to swim across), the red, stone earth came up in jagged peaks and valleys, like mountains, and jutted out of the water. Canyons, some of the other cats had called them. Beyond that, on the other side of the water, the rocky outcrops gave way to sandy, dry shrub land. Despite all the travels he'd had in his short life, he'd never seen anything more beautiful than the sunrise here.

_This is all ours now,_ He thought, his breaths coming fast and shallow with excitement. _SunClan. And today is the day we explore it._ He worked his paws against the hard stone beneath his paws, stopping with a wince as he felt a piece of his claw break off. _Still got to get used to that._

The gentle tap of claws against stone echoed from the cave beneath him, and the cream and white tom dipped his body low, fur brushing the stone. After a long moment, a dark blue-grey shape with a white tipped tail and paws appeared beneath him, looking out at the sunrise. A gentle purr rose up from the cat, and she sat back on her haunches. Gathering his hind legs beneath him, the tom prepared to spring for his target...

"I know you're there, Bravepaw."

Riverpaw's mew sounded just as he launched himself from the stone, unbalancing his leap. He fell on top of the blue-grey she-cat with an ungraceful "Oomph!", rolling off onto the cool orange stone. Bravepaw felt a purr begin to rumble in his throat as he met she-cat's river-blue eyes from his own upside-down position. Riverpaw's whiskers twitched with amusement. "Don't think you're going to get away with it that easily!" She cried, tackling the tom and pummeling at his exposed belly with sheathed paws.

"Ah! I give in, I give in! Let me go!" He gasped with laughter, squirming away from her ferocious attacks. Riverpaw pressed her muzzle to his ear. "Not until you promise to be my slave!" She hissed playfully.

"Yes, anything for you, O River Queen!" Bravepaw squeaked, and the she-cat purred, releasing him. She brought one white tipped paw to her face and began to groom her ruffled fur as Bravepaw ungraciously scrambled to his paws. Expression solemn and serious, he bowed his head, keeping his upper body low. "What is my great leader's bidding?" He echoed, eyes wide with faux devotion.

Riverpaw appeared to contemplate this for a moment before her eyes narrowed mischievously. "You must swim and bring me the greatest, prettiest rock at the bottom of the river," She mewed. Bravepaw's eyes lit up with excitement and his chest puffed out. "At once, O River Queen!" He mewed, making way for the deep blue water before a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Enough of that. You two are apprentices now, quit acting like kits." Sparrowdawn, Bravepaw's adoptive father, padded out of the shadows, scowling. "Bravepaw, how would Hidinglight feel if you went in there and never came out?" The bristling tom demanded.

Riverpaw stepped forward, her tail bushed out. "We were only playing!" She protested, lashing her tail. "Besides, we need to learn to swim sometime; I'm RiverClan! What kind of RiverClan cat am I if I don't even learn to swim?"

Bravepaw padded back towards his blue-grey friend, purring in admiration. Riverpaw was so smart! However, his father didn't seem to feel the same. The white and tabby tom's eyes narrowed. "You're not RiverClan anymore, Riverpaw. You're SunClan. And you," He swiveled his gaze towards Bravepaw, "Even if her argument was valid, _you_ were never RiverClan, you were _ShadowClan_." He placed emphasis on the word, as if willing the cream colored apprentice to understand.

Bravepaw's eyes widened, and he stood in front of his bristling friend protectively. "I can learn to swim just as well as any RiverClan cat if Riverpaw is going to!" He protested.

"Yeah! And why can't we carry on traditions from all of the Clans? Why do we have to follow the traditions from just ShadowClan? Maybe SunClan hunts in water!" Riverpaw hissed, and Sparrowdawn narrowed his eyes, spine bristling. Bravepaw had never seen the she-cat so worked up. She had been brought to ShadowClan as a young kit, he had never realized how much loyalty she felt towards the Clan of her birth, even though it was long gone. Yet, this was something that only made Bravepaw admire her more. He dipped his head in resignation to Sparrowdawn, but murmured under his breath so only Riverpaw could hear. "Don't worry, Riverpaw; I'll get you that rock!"

The she-cat must have heard him, for her fur began to lie flat and she shuffled her paws, casting her gaze down in mock surrender. "Sorry, Sparrowdawn," She mewed in a small voice. "I just really want to become closer to my old Clan in any way that I'm able to."

After a long moment, the sharp tom let out a sigh and gently touched the apprentice with his tail. "I know, Riverpaw. I think we all do. And maybe you can learn to swim soon, but we need to get to know this area first and make sure that its safe for you to," Sparrowdawn mewed. "We don't need any more death."

The grey-blue she-cat merely nodded solemnly, eyes wide and serious. If Bravepaw hadn't known any better, she'd even have _him_ fooled. Sparrowdawn fixed his son with a serious gaze, as if he'd heard his thoughts. "Don't go off doing anything mouse-brained," He huffed, "You don't need to do dangerous things to prove yourself to the Clan." Bravepaw avoided Sparrowdawn's eyes, offering a slight nod.

"Now, both of you should go see your mentors. Nettlefire is sending out patrols and we want cats out before it gets too hot," Sparrowdawn informed them, glancing once towards the brightening sky before padding back into the canyon cave.

Almost as soon as he was gone, Riverpaw's fur bristled again and she rolled her eyes. "What a buzz-kill!" She scoffed, turning back towards the lake. Bravepaw followed her gaze, doubt cluttering his mind for a brief moment. "Maybe he has a point," He conceded. "The water could be really deep and not safe to swim in."

At that, Riverpaw fixed him with a striking blue gaze. "You're not _scared_, are you, Bravepaw?" She taunted, whiskers twitching. Bravepaw bristled, leaping to his paws. "Of course not!" He hissed, raising his chin. "I'm the bravest cat in the Clan! That's why momma named me Bravepaw!"

Riverpaw sat back, a smug look on her face. "Then getting that rock should be as easy as swallowing a minnow, for you," She purred. Bravepaw puffed out his chest, eyes flashing with excitement. "Just you wait!"

* * *

Butterflypaw eased into one of the smaller caves, away from the cave that housed the Moonrock and the medicine den. The scent of milk filled the air. Though this cave was dark, her light brown eyes quickly adjusted to the light, and she saw the small, huddled form of a reddish brown she-cat with two tiny kits nuzzled to her belly. One resembled her mother; also a reddish brown she-cat, with a white muzzle. The other favored his father. Butterflypaw eyed the reddish she-kit for a long moment, remembering the night of her birth.

Newtpool's labor had been difficult. It had been Butterflypaw's first delivery, and because they had only just arrived that night, she had no herbs to ease the process. Fortunately, Tidewhisper had urged her on with the little she had learned during Butterflypaw's own birth.

The reddish kit had been loud and wailing at her birth, and Newtpool had lovingly named her Thunderkit, after her lost Clan. Butterflypaw didn't say anything about it at the time, but she felt uneasy at the thought of her Clanmates being named after the lost Clans. Riverpaw was more understandable, being the last surviving RiverClan cat; but they were supposed to be one Clan now. It seemed that many of her Clanmates had yet to accept that.

A shifting from another corner of the cave caught Butterflypaw's attention, and she turned her head to meet copper eyes that almost seemed to glow. Swallowing past the uneasy knot that formed in her throat, Butterflypaw dipped her head respectfully. "Tidewhisper," She greeted quietly, so as not to wake Newtpool and her young kits.

Tidewhisper rose from her nest, stretching her limbs. The tiny she-cat's belly was almost comically round compared to her size. "Is everything alright, Butterflypaw?" Tidewhisper inquired, tilting her head. The silver she-cat had served as Butterflypaw's second mentor, in addition to Hidinglight, since her previous mentor, Halfmoon, had passed from Cold Paw. Tidewhisper had trained under the medicine cat for much longer than Butterflypaw had gotten the chance to. However, by now, the small she-cat had taught the apprentice almost everything she had learned in those few moons, and Butterflypaw didn't need to go to her as often for help with herbs. The rest she would have to learn on her own.

Butterflypaw nodded. "I just wanted to check on you and Newtpool before I start my day. I'm going to be joining one of the patrols so that I can see what herbs are nearby." She glanced towards the entrance of the cave anxiously, feeling her mind wander. On the journey, Butterflypaw had noticed fewer and fewer familiar herbs. Even in leaf-bare, the temperatures had risen to alarmingly hot temperatures. How could she ever hope to find herbs in such a climate?

Tidewhisper seemed to sense her distress. "Check alongside the river and lake. I cannot imagine that our type of herbs would grow anywhere else," She mewed, blinking at the apprentice apologetically. Butterflypaw dipped her head. "Well, at least if I do find some, they will all be growing nearby each other," She joked lightly, but it fell flat; she was unable to mask her worry. She doubted she would find much at all.

"So... How are you feeling?" The grey and white apprentice asked, changing the subject. Tidewhisper broke out into a purr, her copper eyes hazing over longingly. "They are getting more and more active each day," She mewed, glancing towards her large belly. "Nettlefire will be so thrilled," Tidewhisper added shyly.

Butterflypaw forced a purr. "Would you like me to send for him before I go out?" She asked, but the silver she-cat shook her head. "I need to get some exercise anyways. These kits don't seem to rest unless if I am moving." A pang of worry struck through Butterflypaw, though she knew the small she-cat wasn't due to have her kits for a little over half a moon. "If anything changes, send for me, alright?" She prompted, and Tidewhisper rolled her eyes before nodding. "I will be fine, Butterflypaw. Go explore our new territory." Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Search for the best places for my kits to get into trouble."

Butterflypaw dipped her head and padded out of the den, heading towards the center of camp. Though it was barely past dawn, she could hear Nettlefire announcing patrols, and she picked up pace to a trot. "I'd like to join a patrol," Butterflypaw mewed as she approached where Nettlefire was talking to Bravepaw, Riverpaw, and their two mentors. The grey tom turned at her approach, narrowing his eyes. Her ears burned; did she sound like she wanted to be a warrior's apprentice instead of a medicine cat? "I need to find the best places to get herbs," She added quickly. The deputy nodded, turning back towards Finchberry and Maplerunner. "I'll send Butterflypaw with Applesplash's patrol. I think you will have your paws full with these two."

Riverpaw and Bravepaw put on their best innocent faces, and Butterflypaw stifled a snort. The pair had been nothing but trouble during the journey, and she could only imagine what they'd get into now that they were officially apprentices.

The apprentice swept her gaze across the cavern until she located the ginger and white she-cat. Applesplash was sitting with her apprentice, Houndpaw, and a Turtlespot. The ThunderClan tom appeared bored, but the ginger she-cat was watching Nettlefire intently, and Butterflypaw felt a prickle of unease run along her spine. She pushed it aside and bounded over to the group, trying to appear bright and cheerful. "Hello! Mind if I tag along with you? I'd like to find the best places for herbs around here."

Applesplash swiveled her intense blue gaze onto the small apprentice, sizing her up. "That's fine, but I'm leading the patrol," She announced after a moment, lashing her tail. Butterflypaw dipped her head respectfully. "Of course," She mewed. _There's not a single former ShadowClan cat on this patrol. I get that Nettlefire is trying to get us all to work together, but this pair has hardly been cooperative from the beginning!_ She thought with despair, recalling how Applesplash had voiced her disagreement the loudest regarding Webstar's choice in a deputy.

_Don't be mouse-brained,_ Butterflypaw chided herself. _We're all one Clan now. If I can't trust my Clanmates, what kind of a medicine cat am I?_


	2. Chapter 2

_This chapter is a little shorter, sorry guys. I've been working the last few days and I've been too exhausted to write. Hopefully I can churn out a couple of chapters these next couple of days to make up for it._

**Chapter 2**

Butterflypaw hung at the back of the group while Applesplash and Turtlespot bickered about which way to explore first. As they argued, the group inevitably migrated away from the tall arching canyon rock towards a more plateau'd landscape, and the stone beneath her paws turned into sand and dry underbrush. The grey and white she-cat eyed the riverside, praying for the sight of anything green or familiar, but all she could see was the same curving sand that surrounded them.

Houndpaw fell into step beside her. "This hardly seems a place with abundant prey," He remarked, as if sensing Butterflypaw's own concern. The two warriors swiveled their gaze towards the apprentice in surprise, as if they had forgotten that they were not alone. Turtlespot stopped in his tracks, as if taking in the scenery for the first time. "You're right," He mewed gruffly. "Don't be so sure. Rabbits were always out on the moors and no place was more open than that," Applesplash argued, opening her jaw to taste the air.

Houndpaw swept his gaze across the sandy area, settling on a spot where the earth began to turn back into canyon rock, will plenty of crevices and hiding places for prey. Further forward, the canyon rock jutted high into the sky, casting a long shadow on the rocks. "What about over there?" He suggested, gesturing with his black tail. Butterflypaw could imagine that the former ThunderClan apprentice was feeling just as eager as her to get to a less open area; it didn't help that he had a dark black pelt that was indoubitably hot in the cloudless sunlight. She wondered if there would be herbs that had followed the same logic, choosing to grow in a cool shaded area rather than out in the open.

Turtlespot, however, appeared doubtful. "I don't think-" He started, but Applesplash brushed forward, bristling. "Let's go," She mewed curtly, shooting the tom a look with blazing blue eyes. It seemed that the former WindClan she-cat didn't truly care _where_ they went, rather that she was the one to decide it, Butterflypaw noticed.

The group changed course, heading towards the rocks. Turtlespot trudged reluctantly behind Applesplash, trying to speak to her in a low voice, but she seemed to hear none of it. "The elders told us about a place back in the old forest, called Snakerocks..." He whispered with fervor, concern etching his face. Butterflypaw blinked, her spine bristling uneasily. They hadn't had to deal with snakes much during the journey, and she'd never seen one during her time in ShadowClan, but she'd heard about the dangers that snakes possessed.

"We'll just have to keep our eyes out for them," Butterflypaw mewed softly, touching the warrior with her tail. Turtlespot looked surprised but after a moment he nodded, eyes narrowing watchfully towards the rocks.

The group padded silently towards the canyon stone, and as she stepped into the shade, Butterflypaw let out a sigh of relief, feeling her pelt already growing cooler. After a moment, Houndpaw stiffened, nostrils flaring and his tail curling with excitement. "I smell mice! They smell a little different, but they're definitely here!" He whispered to Applesplash, and the she-cat nodded silently, settling into a crouch on a larger, flat rock.

Butterflypaw suppressed a purr as the apprentice followed the scent, hesitating underneath the shade of a smooth red stone, muscles tensed. "What are you doing?!" Applesplash hissed suddenly, causing the apprentice to jump. At once, a tiny mouse with very long hind legs and tail hopped out from the crevice that Houndpaw had been watching. _Its... hopping? Does it think its a rabbit?_ Butterflypaw wondered, brown eyes wide.

"Go after it! Be fast! You'll never catch prey if you just mosey around!" Applesplash hissed from beside Butterflypaw, her claws unsheathing and scraping against the canyon stone. Houndpaw dashed after the quick rodent, chasing it up to the top of the rocks before he gained on it and killed it with a single bite. As he lifted his head up, mouse in his jaws, his eyes glimmered with pride.

"That's the weirdest mouse I've ever seen," Turtlespot remarked thoughtfully. "It ran on its hind legs!" The ginger she-cat let out a gruff snort. "Yeah, well, he almost lost it. Don't you know to scare the prey out of hiding and race after it where you can beat it with speed?" Applesplash mewed, eyes narrowed towards the apprentice. Houndpaw set the mouse down, looking dejected. "I-"

"He's a ThunderClan cat, Applesplash! He's not a WindClan cat! We don't need to race after our prey, especially in areas like this where we would trip over every stone in our path!" Turtlespot hissed, eyes blazing. Butterflypaw sucked in a breath, looking at the warrior, then Houndpaw. _No, he's not a ThunderClan cat_, She argued silently. _He's a SunClan cat. And we haven't figured out how SunClan cats hunt yet._

Houndpaw, too, seemed annoyed. "I think-"

Applesplash burst forward, fire in her eyes and claws unsheathed. "Who are you to tell me the best way to train my apprentice?" She hissed. The brown spotted tom rose to the challenge, fur bristling. "I wouldn't have to tell you how to train your apprentice if you cared more about his success in hunting rather than him being a proper WindClan hunter!"

Butterflypaw's paws prickled with discomfort, and she swept her gaze across the rocks, stopping abruptly at the sight of a tufted herb with pointed leaves and white flowers. It looked nothing like any herb she'd seen before. _But could it be useful?_ Butterflypaw wondered, distracted for a moment from the conflict erupting beside her.

A yelp caught her attention, and Butterflypaw swiveled her gaze towards Houndpaw. The small apprentice's pelt stood on end, and he was backing away slowly, frightened eyes fixated on something easing out of the crevice before him. A clattering sound filled the air, and that was when Butterflypaw saw it; coiled in the cracks beside Houndpaw was a large, scaly snake, it's tail poised and quivering. _That rattling sound is coming from the snake!_ She realized, and watched in horror as the reptile drew back, preparing to strike.

"Houndpaw, watch out!" Butterflypaw yowled just as the snake lunged towards Houndpaw. Time seemed to slow. The apprentice squirmed to try and avoid the reptile, to no avail, and just as soon as the snake had come, it was gone; Turtlespot had it by its throat and its rattling tail fell silent.

But it was too late. Houndpaw's breathing quickened and his body began to shake. Butterflypaw raced over to the black tom, eyes wide with horror as he began foaming at the mouth. "Houndpaw!" Applesplash shrieked, quivering where she stood. Her prior bravo demeanor was replaced with the horror of what had just occurred.

Butterflypaw's mind raced, trying to think of any herbs that might help a snake bite. But she knew before even racking her brain that there were none that Tidewhisper had taught her. _Halfmoon, StarClan, please!_ Butterflypaw begged silently.

"Do something!" Applesplash yowled, fur standing on end. Turtlespot watched with a dark look in his eyes, clearing thinking that nothing could be done to help the apprentice. Butterflypaw turned towards him with frightened brown eyes, her jaw open to speak. And that was when she heard it. A tiny voice in the back of her mind, and she couldn't determine whether it was her own thoughts or something else. _The Tufted Primrose. The leaves will draw out the poison,_ it whispered, and Butterflypaw tensed. She recalled the image of the white flowers she'd noticed earlier.

Despite the twitching apprentice beside her, a cool calm settled into her limbs, and Butterflypaw turned towards Applesplash, who was closest to where she'd seen the herbs. "Bring me those flowers and leaves in the crevice beside you. They will draw out the poison from the wound." Wide eyed, the warrior obeyed, rushing the herbs to the medicine cat's side. Immediately, the grey and white she-cat began to chew the bitter leaves into a pulp, coating the snakebite.

_Now the petals. He must eat them in order to dispel the poison already in his body_, the quiet voice urged, and Butterflypaw chewed up the petals as much as she could before nausea rose in her throat. She pushed it aside and gently prodded the herbs into Houndpaw's mouth, forcing them as far back as she could. _It will make him sick but he must hold them in his stomach. Don't let him throw it up,_ the voice added as Houndpaw began gagging at the herbs in his throat, staring sightlessly with eyes lacking awareness. Butterflypaw closed her eyes, praying that she was doing the right thing, and held the black tom's jaws shut for several moments until the convulsing stopped.

Applesplash approached her, limbs shaking. "Is he...?" She began hesitantly, voice quivering. Butterflypaw too was afraid to check if she'd failed, but she knew that she was the only one who could. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, the medicine cat gently lay her ear to the toms side. For what felt like hours, he was still. Then, he took a shaky, uneven breath.

"He's alive," She mewed breathlessly, feeling relief flood her veins. Applesplash sunk to the ground, letting out a low moan. "I was too hard on him," She wailed, pressing her nose to his fur. Turtlespot was staring at Butterflypaw with a look she couldn't decipher, and her pelt prickled uneasily. Wanting to distract herself, she pressed her ear to his chest.

_Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-da-da-dum. Ba-da-dum. _

The apprentice waved her tail uneasily at the sound of Houndpaw's faint and uneven heartbeat. She may have saved him for the moment, but he wasn't out of the woods yet. "His heartbeat is still unsteady. I want him back to my den. _Now_," Butterflypaw mewed, standing up straight with an authority and confidence she hadn't felt before.

Fortunately, Applesplash and Turtlespot knew better than to question their medicine cat, even if she was just an apprentice. They brushed to either side of the tom, as if sharing the same thoughts, and lifted him up, sharing the burden equally. Then, as the pair swiftly made their way back to the camp, Butterflypaw hung back. She scooped up the mouse by its tail, and as much of the tufted primrose as she could carry in her jaws, before dashing after the group.

As they made their way back into the cool shade of the canyon, a voice called out. "You guys are back fast - what happened?!" Blackbreeze, a former WindClan she-cat, bounded over to the group, eyes wide. Butterflypaw felt a flash of gratitude that her mouth was full of herbs and the stray mouse. As it was, she was going to have to share Houndpaw's situation repeatedly with the Clan. She'd rather focus just on healing him for now. "Houndpaw got bit by a snake," Turtlespot informed the she-cat gruffly.

_And with what herbs can I heal him with?_ She despaired silently. _I can try to give him more of the primrose petals, but I felt nauseous just chewing them up. If I give Houndpaw too many, he'll get sick, but I don't have any other herbs with me. Oh, Halfmoon, I wish you were still here!_

She shook her head against her thoughts, focusing instead on the feel of stone on her paws as the two warriors brought Houndpaw into the cool den branching from the moonrock cavern. Butterflypaw gestured with her tail for them to set him down in her own makeshift nest. She hadn't had any time to gather moss - or even grasses and feathers - for any other nests in here. _We hadn't imagined that we'd have need for it so soon_, she mused. Choosing a small dent in the wall to house the herbs, Butterflypaw set the strange mouse in front of Houndpaw, hoping that the scent might wake him up, though she doubted it.

"Will he be okay?" Applesplash asked with a quivering mew, her normally stubborn blue eyes wide with concern. Butterflypaw glanced towards where the young apprentice lay eerily still, with the exception of the unsteady rise and fall of his chest every few moments.

_I don't know! I have no idea what I'm doing! _ She wanted to cry. "I'm going to do everything I can," Butterflypaw responded carefully, forcing determination into her mew. "But I still don't have any herbs. I only have these primrose flowers and I don't think they will do well for the long term. I can't imagine forcing Houndpaw to keep them down repeatedly. As it was, they made me sick just chewing them to a pulp." Her gaze swiveled towards her pathetic excuse for an herb storage, wishing, yet again, that they were still in a shaded forest where she knew where to get the herbs she'd need to help her Clanmates.

Turtlespot padded over to her, gently touching the grey and white apprentice with his tail. His gaze remained fixed on Applesplash. "We aren't going to do much good for Houndpaw hovering around here. Let's go see if we can continue our patrol and keep an eye out for any herbs that Butterflypaw might be able to use," He suggested gently, and where the ginger and white she-cat would have previously argued, she merely nodded, eyes dull with grief and worry.

As the ginger warrior padded out of the den, Turtlespot hung back, staring after her before fixing Butterflypaw with an unreadable gaze. "How did you know to do that?" He demanded, and she stepped back, startled. "W-what?" She mewed, voice catching. Turtlespot lashed his tail. "How did you know what herbs to give him? We had an adder lurking in the ThunderClan camp for awhile. One bite killed two full grown warriors within minutes. There was nothing our medicine cat could do to save them. And from what I've heard about the old forest and Snakerocks, they struggled with the same issue. So how did you know? I've never even seen that herb before."

Butterflypaw shuffled her paws uneasily, casting her gaze down to the smooth stone. "I don't know," She whispered honestly. "StarClan must have guided my paws."

Turtlespot stared at her intently for a moment before huffing. "Well, you're lucky. I don't think any medicine cat has been lucky enough to save a cat from a snake bite, StarClan or not." With that, he padded out of the den to meet up with Applesplash.

Butterflypaw cast her expression back towards the sleeping apprentice, weariness of the day's incident settling into her paws. _I can only pray that I'm the first,_ She thought to herself, closing her eyes.

* * *

_The Tufted Evening Primrose is an actual plant that grows in Utah/Arizona desert areas! Though I doubt it works IRL for snakebites, I just kind of made it up. I had to do research about which herbs medicine cats use that grow in this area as well as which herbs they might be able to use that grow in the area, which took some time. Same with the Kangaroo Rat mentioned here, but the cats have never encountered a rat like that so based off of its head and body shape they thought it was a mouse. _


	3. Chapter 3

_To The MoonClanner: I read your comment on my previous story. I admit, I did think of having the new Clan name be DawnClan, but for some reason it didn't sit right with me. I settled for SunClan because the area they live in gets a whole __bunch__ of sunlight and that will be a big aspect they have to deal with. As far as Bravepaw and Riverpaw, only time will tell ~ Hopefully this sequel will go on long enough that we can move on to different points of view as well, rather than just Bravepaw and Butterflypaw. _

_I know that Erin Hunter's original idea of the territory was in the UK, but later on they admitted that it became a fantasy area, so I just took creative initiative and made this version of the lake territories be in the western US. Due to the Moonrock being based off of the Moonstone and Moonpool at the prior territories, I think I will keep the name the same, but I appreciate the suggestions! _

_For some reason your OC didn't show up in the comments thread until today, but I made sure to add her. _

_I really appreciate your continued support! I always look forward to your comments. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Great StarClan, it was hot. Bravepaw was lucky, with his white and cream colored pelt, but he knew that his friend Riverpaw wasn't as fortunate with her dark grey coat. As the day went on, she seemed to be moving slower and slower, hearing less and less of what she was being taught, to the frustration of Finchberry.

The patrol was tasked with hunting and exploring the territory. So far, they had been fortunate; with the help of Maplerunner, Bravepaw had caught his first piece of prey, a lean rabbit. There seemed to be many of them in the sandy areas near the water, eating the dry grasses that grew there. He felt a flush of excitement at being trained by a former WindClan cat. Being SunClan, now, the apprentices could learn tips and tricks for hunting and fighting from all of the Clans. What better way to be a well rounded warrior than to be the best in all the Clans?

Riverpaw's gaze remained fixed to the river, a hungry look in her river blue eyes. Finchberry seemed to notice, and, after a moment, she lifted her tail to indicate that the patrol stop. "Riverpaw," She mewed gently, "Would you like to learn to swim?"

At the suggestion, Riverpaw's expression brightened and her white tail tip curled in excitement. "You mean it?" She asked breathlessly, and Bravepaw purred. "Me too! I want to learn too!" He announced, standing up taller as if to show his capability. Maplerunner looked doubtful. "Finchberry, is that a smart idea? WindClan cats never learn to swim," He asked in a soft voice, and the cream-brown she-cat rolled her eyes. "If you want to stay out in the blazing sun with that dark coat of yours, you can go ahead. This apprentice has been talking nonstop about learning to swim, and I'd rather her learn while an adult cat is with her rather than on her own."

With that, she turned toward the apprentices, determination in her gaze. "I think its more shallow over there. That would be a good place to start," Finchberry mewed, indicating towards an area of the shore that curved inward, protected from any river currents. Practically floating on her paws, Riverpaw ran over to the water, Bravepaw short on her heels. "Wait up!" Finchberry mewed, bounding over to the pair as they splashed their paws into the shallow water.

"You haven't learned to swim yet, so just stay close, alright?" She instructed, but her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Riverpaw was already shoulder deep in the water, her eyes closed in an expression of bliss. Bravepaw hesitantly stepped deeper into the shallow pool, his tail tip curling at the cool tempersature of the water. It was a thankful reprieve from the heat of the relentless sun.

Staying a little more shallow than Riverpaw, Bravepaw practiced trudging his paws against the sandy earth. After a long moment, Finchberry stepped in to join them, letting out a long sigh as the cold water soaked her fur. "On my first Gathering, I fell into the water on either side of the tree bridge, so I can tell you exactly what not to do," Finchberry joked, and Riverpaw's whiskers twitched.

"As you get deeper you might feel a little scared, but try not to panic, because thrashing about in the water like a fish on land is the best way to drown yourself. The best way to swim is to focus on clear, levelled strokes, one pawstep after the other. Kind of like walking but more in a circular motion, raising your legs both higher and lower than you would on land."

Bravepaw listened intently to the warrior, venturing a little bit deeper to practice the techniques she outlined. He felt a sudden rush of fear as he could no longer easily touch the sandy bottom, but he quieted it, remembering Finchberry's words and focusing instead on the movement of his paws. "Very good, Bravepaw. Don't forget to kick your hind legs, too," Finchberry instructed.

Riverpaw seemed to pay her mentor no mind, though, and she scoffed, going further into the river. "We're not kits!" She mewed indignantly, keeping her head above the surface with ease. Finchberry shot her apprentice an affectionate glance, letting out a small purr. "Sorry, Riverpaw, I forgot that not all of us are seasoned RiverClan warriors like you," She teased. She fixed her gaze back on Bravepaw, studying his movements for a moment. Try as he may, his hind legs seemed to keep sinking below his front, and his wide eyes betrayed his calm and determined bravado.

"It's okay, Bravepaw, you're doing great. Make sure you keep your tail lifted so that it's level with the surface of the water. That will help you stay balanced." Determination filled the cream and white toms pelt, and he obeyed the she-cat carefully, steadying his tail so that it kept level with the water's surface. Shortly after, the rest of his body followed, and he let out a sigh of relief, returning to the more shallow part of the shore.

"I did it, Riverpaw! I learned to swim!" He called to the she-cat, and she shot him an amused look. "I never doubted you for a second, forest-cat," She teased, emerging beside the tom and butting her head into his side affectionately. Bravepaw felt warm from his nose to his tail-tip. "You were so natural at it!" He added, "I only hope I can be as good as you!"

Riverpaw blinked at him affectionately, and puffed out her chest with pride. "Well, with lots of practice, I'm sure you could come close," She purred, "But only RiverClan cats can swim the best!"

Maplerunner padded over, letting out a snort. "Right, you would know from experience, wouldn't you, Riverpaw?" He drawled, stiffening as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

Bravepaw's jaw dropped and he felt Riverpaw bristle beside him. How could his mentor say something so callous? He glanced over to his friend, trying to shoot her a sympathetic glance, but she paid him no mind, her eyes blazing with fury. She stepped out of the water, claws unsheathed, and opened her jaw as if to speak, but Finchberry brushed in front of her, speaking up. "Alright, we should continue our patrol. I think I remember Butterflypaw mentioning that she needed herbs this morning, so lets keep an eye out for something that might help her."

Riverpaw closed her jaws, but her pelt refused to lie flat. The fire did not fade from her eyes. Bravepaw brushed against his friend, trying to distract her. "Don't listen to him," He mewed quietly, "He's just mouse-brained." Fortunately, his words seemed to have a calming effect on the she-cat, and her fur flattened, though the fury didn't die down in her gaze.

Wordlessly, they padded back onto the shore, and Riverpaw paused beside Maplerunner, shaking the water out of her fur. The tom leapt back with a start as he was coated with droplets, and he narrowed his eyes. "Watch it!" He hissed, and the she-cat looked at him innocently. "I'm sorry," She mewed geniunely. "I didn't realize how close you were." Bravepaw stifled a _mrrroow_ of amusement, his whiskers twitching.

The group continued on their patrol, heading back to canyon rock areas and weaving in and out of the shade. There seemed to be a bit more undergrowth here, though Bravepaw didn't know the difference between regular grasses and useful herbs. Finchberry, however, seemed to recognize some of them, weaving through the grasses and coming back with a couple of vaguely familiar herbs. She gestured with her tail, then set them down to show the apprentices.

Bravepaw and Riverpaw padded over curiously. "I'm no medicine cat," Finchberry confessed, "But I recognized some of the herbs that Butterflypaw and Tidewhisper used during the journey. These yellow flowers look a little different, but they're definitely marigold. And these leaves are yarrow. So if either of you see any plants like this, grab some and we'll try and bring them back," The warrior instructed. The pair nodded obediently, splitting up to scout the local area.

Bravepaw spotted some yellow flowers relatively quickly, and perked up, dashing towards the base of a bush where they sat. He grabbed the flowers in his mouth, pausing as a strange scent washed over him. Dropping the flowers, Bravepaw opened his jaw to taste the air. In the same moment, Riverpaw bounded over towards him, her tail waving excitedly. "Isn't this great, Bravepaw? We've gotten to see so much of our territory!" She mewed, her blue eyes alight.

When her words went ignored, the grey she-cat gently prodded him with a paw. "Hellloo, is any cat home?" She mewed, and Bravepaw shook her off, staring up into the bush. Large green fruits hung from the branches of the shrub. He had never seen anything like them. "Look, Riverpaw!" He mewed, gesturing with his tail, and Riverpaw raised her gaze, eyes widening. "Woah!" She exclaimed. "Finchberry, come look at this!" She called, and the cream colored she-cat bounded over, eyes alert and concerned. "What's wrong? Are you hurt, Riverpaw?" Finchberry demanded, and Riverpaw shook her head, gesturing to the bush. "Are those anything that Butterflypaw can use?"

Finchberry studied the fruits, prodding at one on the ground. "We shouldn't bring any herbs that we don't know," She mewed finally. "We don't want to bring anything like deathberries into our camp." Bravepaw padded forward, giving the fruit on the ground a cautious sniff. With a start, he realized that the strange scent he'd picked up wasn't coming from the fruits. He swiveled his gaze towards the bush, studying it carefully.

After a moment, he padded forward, circling the large bush to try and find the source of the scent. On the other side, he noticed a large clump of feathers, and his eyes lit up with excitement. "Look at all these feathers!" He squealed, nose diving into the pile. "These are enough feathers to make nests for the whole Clan!"

A sharp feeling sliced across his nose, and he drew back, startled, as a drop of blood fell to the sand. "W-what?" He exclaimed, staring wide eyed at the pile of feathers. Cautiously, he stepped forward, nosing the pile again. Again, a sharp slice dug into his cheek. Bravepaw recoiled with a yelp of pain.

Maplerunner padded over, looking irritated. "If something hurts you once, you don't go back to it to get hurt a second time," His mentor scolded him. Bravepaw felt his ears burn with embarrassment. "There's-" He stopped abruptly, hearing a small hissing sound and spotting a tuft of reddish brown fur underneath the pile of feathers. The strange smell was coming from there.

"There's a kit here!" Bravepaw squeaked with alarm. The tiny reddish kit peered up from the nest of feathers, hissing threateningly. Finchberry and Riverpaw rushed over to Bravepaw's side, eyes wide. "I don't smell any other cats here. That kit can't be more than three moons old. Where's its mother?" Finchberry wondered aloud, looking around warily.

The kit eyed the group mistrustfully. Riverpaw eyed the feathers and a small purr filtered from her throat. "Woah! You weren't kidding!" She mewed, starting for the feathers, but the small kit let out another swipe and a hiss before the apprentice could get too close. "These are my feathers!" The tiny kit hissed, scrambling to stand protectively in front of them. "You can't have them!"

Bravepaw padded beside the kit, poking her gently with a paw. "Look how thin she is. She's got to be starving!" He remarked. Riverpaw nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe her mother is gone?"

Maplerunner looked doubtful. "We should just leave her here in case she comes back," He remarked, eyeing the she-kit with an equal amount of distrust. Finchberry scoffed. "What, and let her starve to death? The only scent here is hers and those strange fruits. And the warrior code says that we can't ignore any kits in need. We should bring her back to Webstar."

The kit's eyes widened with fright, and her kit-fluff bushed out. "I have to stay here so I can find my momma!" She wailed. Maplerunner shot Finchberry a look. "See? Even she wants to stay."

"She can't just stay!" Bravepaw protested, "This is SunClan territory now!" He eyed the terrified kit up and down. Riverpaw nodded thoughtfully. "We have a nursing queen back at our camp," She mewed gently to the kit. "We can send a patrol to look for your mother while you are in a safe and sheltered place."

The kit didn't look convinced, but clearly the prospect of food intrigued her. She glanced hungrily from Riverpaw to Finchberry. "Do you promise to help look for her?" She asked hesitantly. Bravepaw puffed out his chest. "I helped my dad find my momma when she was stuck with twolegs! I'll definitely help find her!" He promised.

Finchberry padded forward cautiously, and the kit shrunk back, quivering with fear. "It's safe at our camp. We have a lot of cats that would be able to protect you, and you wouldn't go hungry," She promised. After a long moment, the kit nodded. "You should bring back one of the jojoba fruits," She squeaked hesitantly. "Momma always ate the seeds to help with her milk, and when I got hurt she'd put the juice on my cut so it would stay healthy and heal." She shuffled her paws. "Maybe it would help the cat that is willing to help me?"

Finchberry exchanged a surprised look with Maplerunner, before turning back to the kit. "You're so smart," She purred gently. "Do you know of any other herbs around here?" The kit shook her head, eyes wide with fear. "What's your name?" Riverpaw mewed gently. "My name's Riverpaw."

The kit swiveled her gaze to the grey she-cat. "My name is Dusk," She squeaked. "Can I keep my feathers?" Bravepaw's whiskers twitched with amusement. Just a moment before, Dusk was hissing at them for even considering to take the feathers, and now she was basically asking them to. _Kit logic_, He thought, curling his tail tip.

"Of course," Finchberry mewed gently. She glanced towards Maplerunner. "We should head back now, then. We have plenty to bring back, with the herbs, prey, and now Dusk." The brown tabby tom seemed relieved at the idea of getting out of the sun, for he quickly grabbed a mouthful of feathers, and a jojoba fruit, and began trotting back to the camp. Riverpaw and Bravepaw followed suit, and Dusk struggled to keep up with as many feathers as she could carry.

* * *

Butterflypaw padded out of the medicine den with the mouse that had been caught earlier, tail drooping. Most of the day had passed by and Houndpaw showed no change. His breathing was still faint and his heartbeat still unsteady. Applesplash and Turtlespot had reported finding no more herbs, though they had caught one more of those strange mice, and some more familiar looking mice in the shaded canyon areas. Since they'd returned from their patrol, Applesplash had to be ordered outside of the medicine den, and it was obvious the ginger she-cat was ill with worry and guilt for her apprentice.

She made way to the main den where Sparrowdawn and Hidinglight lay sharing tongues. Rainpoppy was chattering to Quailfoot with a brightness in her eyes that was often absent. Tidewhisper sat beside Nettlefire, and the normally stern grey tom was fixing his mate with a soft, gentle gaze. Rubblestorm, the Clan's sole elder, was rambling on about the old lake to Wildpaw, and an amused Webstar. The Clan seemed peaceful.

After a moment, a sleek black shape materialized from the shadows of the canyon cavern, padding beside Webstar. "I've looked over the entire cave," She reported, "No snakes in sight. But it is very, very hot outside." Grassdaze glanced towards the tunnel that led to the canyon's exit thoughtfully. Webstar nodded. "Thank you, Grassdaze. We'll have to hold off on patrols for now until it cools off."

"What about Finchberry's patrol?" Blackbreeze, approached the pair, shooting worried glances towards the entrance. "They've been out since dawn. Do you think we should send someone looking for them?"

Butterflypaw realized with a start that the she-cat was right. It was so hot outside that staying in the cool caves seemed to be the only way to avoid overheating. She couldn't imagine being out on a patrol for most of the day.

However, as if on cue, a pattering echoed from the den entrance, and Butterflypaw visibly relaxed as Finchberry's patrol returned with full jaws. She blinked, focusing on what they were carrying; several large rabbits, feathers, and... herbs? The medicine cat leapt to her paws, trotting over to the group as they deposited the prey to the fresh-kill pile. Bravepaw puffed out his chest proudly as Hidinglight approached her adopted son. "I caught this rabbit with Maplerunner!" He boasted to the tortoiseshell she-cat, and Hidinglight purred, rasping her tongue over his ears. "You're going to make a fine warrior," She mewed, her hazel eyes alive with love.

Sparrowdawn padded beside his mate, cuffing the apprentice over the head. "That's if he doesn't make any stupid decisions," He remarked, shooting a knowing glance towards Riverpaw. Butterflypaw blinked; did Sparrowdawn not like the small apprentice? It seemed that almost the whole Clan adored the sole RiverClan survivor, and even in Butterflypaw's experience, the grey she-cat was very kind and helpful.

She shook her head, turning to Finchberry, who held a mouthful of herbs. "You found some," The grey and silver she-cat purred, unable to keep the relief out of her voice. She recognized yellow and white flowers of marigold and yarrow, and leaves of nettle. "You'll have to show me where you got them, when its not so hot," Butterflypaw announced, taking the herbs into her jaws gratefully. She hesitated beside a large, green fruit, about the shape of an egg. "What's this?" She asked, studying the fruit.

"Apparently it's called jojoba fruit. Dusk says its good for queens and for healing and disinfecting injuries," Finchberry informed her. Maplerunner padded forward, jaws full of more feathers than Butterflypaw had ever seen in one place, heading towards the back of the camp where the elder's den, medicine den, and nursery were.

Butterflypaw blinked at Finchberry with confused brown eyes. "Dusk?" She inquired, spotting a large pile of feathers beside Riverpaw. That's when she realized that it was moving. A tiny, reddish brown kit was tripping over her own paws, carrying as many feathers as she could possibly hold, and wearing half of them. Butterflypaw's eyes widened.

"We found her underneath the jojoba bush. Her mother was nowhere in sight, and she's too little to fend for herself. We thought maybe Newtpool would be willing to take her in." Finchberry glanced towards Webstar, who had heard the she-cat and was making his way over. "A rogue kit?" He mused, staring at the moving pile of feathers. His eyes were alight with amusement. "I suppose SunClan can use all of the warriors we can get."

A small crowd was beginning to gather around Finchberry and the leader. Butterflypaw stepped backwards to make more space. "We can't just go around accepting strays into our Clan!" Turtlespot protested, eyes narrowed. Hidinglight bristled, stepping closer to the kit in a protective stance. "She's just a kit," She hissed, and Dusk shook off some of the feathers, looking at the cats around her with wide, frightened eyes. "Look how thin she is, poor thing," A white grey she-cat remarked - Dewthistle, Butterflypaw recalled. She wondered briefly why Hidinglight was acting so defensive over a non-Clan kit.

Webstar studied the cats among him briefly before hopping up onto a ledge in the cavern, standing above the crowd of cats. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here for a Clan meeting!" He didn't need to wait long, for most of the cats had already gathered around the returning patrol with curiosity, hunger, and excitement at what they'd brought back.

"Cats of SunClan, today has been an eventful day. Our first patrol, consisting of Applesplash, Turtlespot, and Butterflypaw, discovered in a very unfortunate manner that the rocks to the east house snakes with tails that rattle. Houndpaw was bitten." Gasps of concern and alarm echoed from the surrounding cats, and Webstar waved his tail to quiet them. "Fortunately, Butterflypaw was nearby and was able to treat him before the venom took him completely, but the apprentice is still recovering in the medicine den. I don't want any cats going over to that area without a senior warrior, and I want all patrols to keep an eye out for snakes. This area is different from our forests and lake, after all."

"Finchberry's patrol has found abundant prey, specifically rabbits, in the sandy grass areas beside the river. For now, we shall primarily hunt there." At that, yowls of protest echoed. "We're not WindClan cats!" Sagefrost mewed, eyes wide. Webstar fixed her with a stern gaze. "No, we're not," He conceded, "We're SunClan cats. And we'll need to use skills from all the Clans to survive in this new land."

_Yes!_ Butterflypaw's tail tip curled at her leader's statement. _Finally, someone says it._ "Finchberry's patrol also found a small kit named Dusk, hiding underneath a bush with an abundant amount of feathers. Due to her age, it is our duty, per the warrior code, to take her in. We shall look for her mother tomorrow, but shall otherwise treat her as a regular member of the Clan."

Webstar fixed the quivering kit with a friendly gaze. "I call upon my warrior ancestors to welcome this kit. Dusk, from this moment on, unless if we find your family and you wish to leave, you shall be known as Featherkit. You shall be treated as an equal member of the Clan."

Featherkit's eyes were wide at the white striped warrior's words, and she looked around, appearing confused and frightened. Butterflypaw noticed Hidinglight protectively leaning against the kit, bending down to whisper in her ears. Whatever the tortoiseshell warrior said, it seemed to calm the kit, for she shot a grateful glance towards Hidinglight. The warrior gently rasped the kit behind her ears, as if the young kit were her own child. Butterflypaw couldn't help but feel warmed at the sight.

"That is all," Webstar concluded, looking out upon the cats. "If any cat has any disagreements with my decisions, they are to address them to me privately." He shot warning looks towards the cats that had argued against his decision, and after a moment hopped down to join the cats below him.

Taking the herbs and the mysterious fruit in her jaws, Butterflypaw excused herself and padded back towards the solitude of her den.


	4. Chapter 4

_Welcome back Feathershade! And ughhhh I know that, I just remember reading that the first lady who thought of the idea said that, so I wrote the wrong thing. *scrambles back to edit it* There, fixed!_

**Chapter 4**

Butterflypaw placed her ears against the black pelted apprentices chest, as she'd done for the last quarter moon. Again, the tom was still except for the slight rise and fall of his chest, and the uneven beating of his heart. The medicine cat had tried the best she could to treat him, but it was clear that his fate was in StarClan's paws now. Butterflypaw eased some soaking moss to the unconscious toms jaws, gently parting them and squeezing water into his mouth. Then, she gently massaged his throat, encouraging him to swallow the water. Hefting herself back to her paws, Butterflypaw released a heavy sigh, and grasped a jojoba fruit from her herb storage. She carefully removed the hard, brown seeds and padded out of her den towards the nursery.

The young apprentice had reluctantly followed what Featherkit had told her about the strange green fruits, and had been giving the seeds to Newtpool. The reddish brown queen reported such an energy difference after ingesting the seeds for several days that Butterflypaw had even started giving them to Tidewhisper, though she hadn't kitted yet.

Now, Newtpool was curled in the nursery, watching Thunderkit and Quietkit with loving eyes as they stumbled the few paces their tiny legs would allow them to. Featherkit was nowhere in sight. Tidewhisper was out of the den as well, Butterflypaw realized with a pang of worry.

"Hello, Butterflypaw," The former ThunderClan she-cat mewed as she entered the den. Newtpool wrinkled her nose as Butterflypaw deposited the seeds in front of her. "More of those bitter things?" The medicine cat merely nodded, gazing at the kits. Their eyes were still closed, but after nearly every step, Thunderkit let out a loud mew. She purred, watching the stumbling kit.

"Where's Featherkit gone off to?" Butterflypaw inquired after a moment, fixing Newtpool with a curious gaze. The queen was swallowing the last of the seeds, and scoffed at the question. "She has way too much energy for these tiny kits. I sent her out to the main cavern to play." Butterflypaw nodded, studying Thunderkit and Quietkit. Newtpool hadn't seemed to be very accepting of feeding a kit several moons older than her own, but fortunately Hidinglight had seemed to take Featherkit under her wing, treating the young kit similar to how she had adopted Bravepaw.

"I've got to bring the rest of these to Tidewhisper," She mewed after a moment, taking the remaining seeds in her jaws and padding out of the den. Newtpool waved her tail to dismiss the medicine cat, returning her attention to her kits.

The main cavern was abuzz with life. Featherkit was sitting beside Hidinglight, curiously prodding at a kangaroo rat - that was what those strange mice were called, apparently. The small reddish kit seemed to know a lot about the prey around the area, something she had likely learned from her mother. Despite the patrols searching for Featherkit's mother, there seemed to be neither a whisker nor a tail of the missing queen.

Like usual, Tidewhisper was sitting beside Nettlefire. Her belly had grown even larger in the past quarter moon, though Butterflypaw knew that the tiny she-cat seemed to have no trouble getting around. Secretly, the medicine cat was worried for how such a small warrior's kitting would go, and she hardly strayed too far from the camp as a result. After all, Tidewhisper was due in just another quarter moon, perhaps sooner.

Butterflypaw padded over to the pair, setting the hard brown seeds down in front of the queen. "These are for you," She urged gently, and Tidewhisper shot her a grateful look before lapping up the seeds without a complaint. _What polar opposites,_ Butterflypaw mused, remembering the bitter queen she had visited earlier.

"I'm going to go gather some herbs," She announced after a moment, studying Tidewhisper carefully. "Send someone for me if anything changes, alright?" The last thing Butterflypaw wanted was for the small she-cat to go into labor while she was away. Tidewhisper rolled her eyes at her worry however. "I'll be fine, Butterflypaw."

"Make sure you have a warrior with you," Nettlefire interjected, sweeping his gaze over the cats in the clearing. "It's almost dusk but Webstar doesn't want to risk anyone else getting bit. Rainpoppy, can you accompany Butterflypaw to gather herbs?"

Butterflypaw's heart sank. Rainpoppy had been exceptionally difficult since the death of her sister and father, often quick to anger and unsheathe her claws. At one point, while training with Hidinglight, Butterflypaw had discovered that Rainpoppy had been very exciteable and positive as an apprentice.

Cold Paw had changed everything.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Butterflypaw raised a tail in greeting as the dark grey tabby padded over, expression unreadable. "Let's get this over with," Rainpoppy mewed gruffly, brushing past Butterflypaw. The apprentice padded a tail length behind her, so as not to do anything that would tread on the short tempered she-cat's paws.

As the sun crept down and the area became more shadowed, they walked in silence, and Butterflypaw focused on the hot canyon stone beneath her paws, reminding herself that she would need to find an herb that was good for burns. She imagined that the closer they got towards what had traditionally been green-leaf, the more likely burns would occur, especially on ears and paws.

They soon made it to the area that Finchberry had discovered, and Butterflypaw set to work, nipping off stems of dock, mallow, and horsetail. Fortunately, the surrounding area had revealed to house many of the herbs that they had used in the old territory. She reflected on what she was missing as she dug up some burdock root.

Most of what she had was good for infections - nettle for swelling, dock, and marigold. For aching joints, she'd found fennel and wild daisies. The only herb she'd found for belly ache was mallow, and she had found no herbs to soothe the mind or treat shock. Another problem was the worryingly low amount of herbs for coughs around here. She'd seen neither hide nor tail of catmint, and had only discovered small amounts of chickweed in the areas with abundant canyon stone and sunlight.

Fortunately, the jojoba seeds seemed to substitute borage and burnet for expecting queens and for encouraging milk production. And the juice had proved to be soothing and have healing properties for burns or injuries. Butterflypaw only hoped that StarClan would guide her to find new herbs that would accomplish what she'd need to care for her Clanmates.

A welcomed breeze picked up, cooling her hot fur. Although dusk was often more cooler than the middle of the day, temperatures didn't usually drop significantly until after sun-down. "Are you finished?" Rainpoppy asked, watching as Butterflypaw lifted her head into the breeze. The grey and silver she-cat nodded, gathering the herbs in her mouth and padding back over to the warrior.

As they made their way back to the camp, they picked up pace to a trot, and Butterflypaw couldn't help but notice her spine prickling uneasily with the rapidly approaching darkness. As if sensing her thoughts, a high pitched wailing echoed eerily across the landscape, stopping the pair in their tracks.

Butterflypaw's eyes were wide and she set her herbs down briefly. "What was _that?_" She mewed, voice tinted with fear. Rainpoppy's fur bristled and she gazed out upon the landscape warily. "Let's not stay to find out," She mewed decisively, scooping up some of the herbs in her jaws, and Butterflypaw followed suit. With a flick of her tail, Rainpoppy picked up pace to a brisk run, and the medicine cat remained close on her heels, not stopping until they reached the welcome sight of the canyon caves.

They slowed down, catching their breath, and exchanged a relieved look. Rainpoppy's whiskers twitched with amusement as she panted, setting the herbs down. "That might have been a bit of an overreaction," The dark grey she-cat admitted. Butterflypaw let out a purr, tail twitching with laughter. "I was right behind you," She assured Rainpoppy. "This area is still new to us and it wouldn't hurt to be cautious."

The warrior nodded, but her eyes still held the lightness of laughter and her frame seemed more relaxed than Butterflypaw was accustomed to seeing with her. "Well, let's go back to put these away. I should check on Houndpaw and Tidewhisper, too," The medicine cat mewed reluctantly, and the friendliness in Rainpoppy's gaze clouded over, replacing it with the familiar guarded look Butterflypaw was used to. She felt a pang of worry; had she said the wrong thing? The pair had shared a moment, and Butterflypaw had been briefly hopeful that she was cracking the wall that the dark grey tabby she-cat kept up. Perhaps she was wrong.

"Don't be a stranger," Butterflypaw added quietly, almost as an afterthought, and she scooped up her herbs. Together, they padded back into the camp, splitting up as if the brief shared moment had never happened. As she made her way to her cool, quiet den, Butterflypaw couldn't help but feel loneliness sinking deep into her paws.

...

_He stalked silently between the pine trees, the needles underfoot caressing his paws. It was the biggest, fattest squirrel he'd ever seen, and StarClan forbid he missed this catch. Bravepaw was finally at a close enough distance, and he waggled his hind quarters, preparing to leap, but just before his paws left the ground, the squirrel sat up and looked him dead in the eyes. "Psst! Bravepaw!" It said. Confusion clouded Bravepaw's mind, but he pushed it aside, leaping for his catch with outstretched claws..._

"Bravepaw, wake up!" An uncomfortable prod in the side caused his dream to vanish quicker than a rabbit on the moor. Bravepaw let out a grunt of discontent, blinking through bleary eyes to see Riverpaw standing over him. Immediately, he scrambled to his paws, licking his chest fur self consciously. "I was dreaming, Riverpaw!" He mewed with indignation, though his tone was light towards the grey she-cat. She ignored his protest, eyes alight with mischievousness. "Let's go over to where Houndpaw got bit by that rattlesnake!" Riverpaw declared, eyes alight.

Bravepaw stared at the she-cat as if she had two heads. "What? Why?" He asked, tilting his head in puzzlement. Riverpaw stared at him as if he were a mouse-brain for not knowing. "To catch those funny kangaroo rats, of course! Have you tried them? They're better than any mouse I've tasted! We've hardly found them anywhere else, and Applesplash told me the area was heavy with their scent! There's got to be a whole nest of them there!" Riverpaw worked her claws into her feathered nest excitedly.

Bravepaw was hesitant. "Now? It's late and everyone's asleep," He mewed quietly, glancing to where Wildpaw and Redpaw lay curled up on the other side of the den. Riverpaw rolled her eyes, lashing her white tipped tail. "That's why we need to go now! The snakes will be asleep too. Maybe the kangaroo rats know that?"

He had to admit, the she-cat had a point. And the thought of leaving camp to explore the territory at night caused Bravepaw's pelt to prickle with excitement. _No cats have been out here at night yet,_ he realized. "Alright!" He conceded, dancing on his paws. "Let's go!"

With that, the pair slunk silently out of the camp, eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cave, so that once they left the camp, the slight moonlight lit their way as good as day time. A cold chill hung in the air, as cold as a leaf-bare day. Bravepaw shivered despite himself and fluffed out his fur against the cold. "It's like this place can't decide whether it wants to be cold or hot!" He remarked jokingly, and Riverpaw's whiskers twitched with amusement.

"You know, some of the other warriors have been talking," Riverpaw mewed thoughtfully. He perked his ears up; the blue-grey she-cat was popular with most cats in the Clan, so she always heard the best gossip. "They don't think its fair that ShadowClan controls most of the Clan," She continued. "They really didn't like when Nettlefire was selected to be deputy. He hasn't even officially trained an apprentice!"

Bravepaw shuffled his paws uneasily. Riverpaw had a really good point, but he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable to hear that cats were talking behind his kin's back. Was she right? Was Nettlefire the wrong choice for a deputy?

"Who do _you_ think should have been made deputy?" Riverpaw asked, swiveling her river-blue eyes to meet his green ones. Bravepaw thought carefully, mentally going over the cats in the Clan. "I think Sparrowdawn would have been a good choice," He side finally, thinking of his father's quick thinking and passion. Riverpaw scoffed. "Sparrowdawn? You're just saying that because you're ShadowClan and he's your father. He hasn't even trained an apprentice!"

Bravepaw's ears burned with embarrassment. "But he's loyal and brave!" He protested, spine bristling. Riverpaw's blue eyes softened and she gently butted his side with her head. "Mouse-brain!" She exclaimed affectionately. Then, the grey apprentice stared off into the distance, deep in thought. "I like Turtlespot!" She mewed finally, and Bravepaw blinked in surprise.

"Why?" Bravepaw asked, eyes wide. A purr rumbled up Riverpaw's throat, and her eyes gleamed. "He's got a backbone! He's not afraid to stand up for what's right. He's not weak, not like Webstar. He knows when the time is to talk, and when the time is to fight!" At that, Riverpaw unsheathed her claws, tail twitching with excitement. Bravepaw only felt more confused at the she-cat's response. _Fight? Who do we even need to fight?_ He wondered.

"I guess I haven't spent much time with him," Bravepaw admitted. Riverpaw's fur lay flat, and she looked over at him with an unreadable expression. "You know, I know someone even better to be deputy," She purred. "Who?" Bravepaw asked, blinking.

"You!"

"Me?!" His voice came out as an undignified squeak. Riverpaw looked him up and down, studying him with an amused glint in her eyes. "You know, once you shape up a bit! You have the potential to make a great warrior," She encouraged, her purr growing louder. "You just gotta prove yourself to be as brave as you claim to be!"

Bravepaw stood a little straighter. "I am brave!" He protested. Riverpaw rolled her eyes. "Oh, sure, you're plenty brave, but are you willing to fight for what you believe in?" Her eyes held a glimmering challenge. Bravepaw scoffed, tail lashing. "No cat would want to mess with me!" He exclaimed boldly.

Riverpaw purred. "That's what I thought! Now lets go catch some kangaroo rats for the Clan!" The pair raced towards the canyon stone that jutted high into the sky, hopping from rock to rock. Almost instantly, Bravepaw spotted a fat, long legged kangaroo rat, sniffing at the sand beneath its paws.

However, the rat seemed to notice him as well, and it gathered its legs and leapt several fox lengths into the air, landing on a ledge of the large canyon rock. "Woah!" Bravepaw exclaimed, leaping after it. Riverpaw was preoccupied as well, trying to chase and leap after the funny looking prey. They weren't aggressive, but Great StarClan, they were hard to catch!

Bravepaw leapt from rock to rock, struggling to reach the great leaps the kangaroo rats were making. His final leap landed him a tail-length away from one of the kangaroo rat's location on a high ledge, and as it leapt into the air, Bravepaw jumped up as well, hooking out with his claws and catching the rodent in the side. He brought it close before it could leap again and gave it a swift killing bite. "I got one!" He exclaimed proudly.

By the time the first fingers of dawn crept over the horizon, Bravepaw's muscles ached, his paws throbbed with pain, bruises and scratches hugged his frame from tripping and hitting rocks, and his eyes cried for sleep. But the large pile of kangaroo rats that they would be bringing back to the Clan were more than enough to keep him awake, and he held his head high as he carried many of the prey by their long tails, stepping carefully to avoid tripping over them.

Though Riverpaw held a smaller catch than him, her eyes were still alight with pride and excitement over their late night excursion. That is, until the hammer came down hard and heavy as they entered their camp.

"Where have you been?" Webstar demanded, eyeing the apprentices - and their catches - up and down. Riverpaw held her head high and proud. Bravepaw stood up straight and tall against his leader, tail lashing. "We went hunting for the Clan!" He announced, holding not a trace of regret.

"In the middle of the night?! What were you thinking?" Sparrowdawn chided, dashing over to the pair with Hidinglight at his side. The gentle tortoiseshell she-cat ran over to him and sniffed him, carefully checking for injuries. "You're hurt!" She exclaimed, nosing his bruises and scratches. "What happened?" Bravepaw winced and brushed his mother off. "Hidinglight, I'm fine!" He insisted, but Hidinglight wasn't convinced, and she began fussing over Riverpaw in the same manner.

"I'm okay, Hidinglight. Thanks for checking though," Riverpaw mewed warmly, and Hidinglight licked the top of the grey she-cat's head. Webstar narrowed his eyes at the pair. "Where did you two find all of these kangaroo rats?" He demanded.

"Well, we went to the spot that Houndpaw caught that first one-" Bravepaw began, and Webstar waved his tail. "The place I ordered no Clan cats to go for now due to the danger with the snakes?"

Bravepaw's ears flattened against his head. "We went at night when the snakes would be asleep!" He protested. Riverpaw fixed her leader with wide, river blue eyes. "We knew how hard its been adjusting to this area and getting prey in this heat, so we thought we should hunt at night. Did we do something wrong Webstar?" She asked in a small voice.

Their black striped leader fixed the apprentice with an intense gaze. "You two put yourselves in danger and went out at night without telling any cats where you were going. I understand that your actions were well intentioned, but they are not to go without punishment. Maplerunner! Finchberry!"

The apprentices mentors trotted over at their leader's call, ears perked and attentive. "Take Riverpaw and Bravepaw on dawn patrol," He ordered, flicking his ears. Bravepaw felt dread sink to his paws. All he wanted to do was sleep! Webstar fixed Bravepaw with a solemn expression, his eyes softening a fraction.

"Since you two demonstrated the abundance of prey at night in that area, I'll order Nettlefire to begin organizing night patrols for hunting. It will be easier to move without the hot sun above us. However, you two explicitly disobeyed an order I made, and in such a careless way that could have cost your lives if you'd encountered a rattlesnake. In addition to this morning's patrol, you both shall have the sole responsibility of taking care of the elders den and nursery, and changing the bedding in the camp, for the next quarter moon, except for today, of course. I doubt you'll be able to do much after your patrol."

Bravepaw opened his jaws to protest, but he knew that there was nothing he could do. Webstar's word was law. He shut his mouth and dipped his head, ears burning with fury. _We got enough fresh-kill to feed the Clan for two days, and we're being punished for it!_ For the first time, he agreed with the judgements against his leader, and as he cast a glance towards his partner in crime, he noticed a stoic resolve in her river blue eyes.

As they fell behind in the group for dawn patrol, the blue-grey she-cat pressed her pelt to his, her eyes alive with pride and mischief. "See," She whispered, too low for anyone else but him to hear. "Last night and what we accomplished - now that's what I call brave!"


	5. Chapter 5

_To Kestralflight: Thank you so much! Your support means so much! I hope you continue to enjoy this story as I write it!_

_To The MoonClanner: Yes you were! And I will try to incorporate him and Rose's story into the plot, I haven't been able to have these characters interact too much with Featherkit but I will try to work that into future chapters! There's so many characters in a Clan that its hard to keep track of them all and its no wonder the Erin Hunters had so many two dimensional background characters. I'm used to writing characters that interact with one or two other people so this is a bit of a change for me! Maybe I'll have to start giving everyone in the Clan a chapter perspective haha. I'm hesitant to use the name Sol for a character here just because of the Sol in the canon story. _

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Bravepaw swept up the dirty bedding with his paws, piling it to the corner of the warrior's den. Gather, sweep, replace. Gather, sweep, replace. Each action lighting the fury in his heart just a little bit more. After what felt like hours, a blue-grey head peered from around the den entrance. "I'm all done with the apprentice's den. Butterflypaw says that Tidewhisper will be having her kits any day so we shouldn't clear out the nursery bedding yet, but we should try and gather extra bedding for afterwards. Do you wanna come with?"

Bravepaw pushed the last pile of dirty bedding aside and let out a relieved sigh. "Yeah, I'm all finished. I just need to get rid of this old bedding," He mewed, grabbing as much of the bedding as he could in his jaws. He wrinkled his nose at the scent. Riverpaw moved over to take some in her jaws as well, and they padded out of the camp, finding a secluded place to deposit the old bedding.

"I think that we should go back to the jojoba bush to look for spare feathers. That way those kits first experience of SunClan will be warmth and feathers!" Riverpaw suggested, her voice melting into a purr. Bravepaw felt his previous fury draining like the rain on rocks. "Let's do it," He agreed. "Maybe we can try catching some birds to bring back as well."

At that, Riverpaw appeared thoughtful. "You know, I've seen a bunch of different colored birds in the lake," She mewed. "Maybe we can talk to Finchberry and Maplerunner about trying to hunt some tomorrow?" After getting in so much trouble, even Riverpaw seemed hesitant to go hunting without a mentor, though the white and cream tom could tell it annoyed her.

At that, Bravepaw snorted. "I doubt Maplerunner will be very eager to get his paws wet. He seems to prefer that I learn to chase after rabbits." Riverpaw scoffed. "You're not WindClan, though! We're a combination of all the Clans, so we should use skills from every Clan." Bravepaw felt warmth blossoming in his chest at her statement. "That's what I was thinking," He purred. "That way we can truly be the best warriors ever!"

Riverpaw tensed, tail twitching at something behind Bravepaw. Then, without another word, she dashed forward, tackling a pigeon with outstretched claws. She struggled with it for several moments before the bird launched itself into the air, escaping its hunter. "Mouse dung!" Riverpaw exclaimed. "Those pigeons are usually so feather-brained that they're an easy catch."

"Bad luck," Bravepaw purred. "We haven't trained much on birds. You'll do better next time." Riverpaw glanced at him warmly, waving her tail. "We better get those feathers quickly before Webstar punishes us again," She mewed lightheartedly. At that, Bravepaw's expression turned dark and his claws churned into the sand. "I still don't get it!" He growled, "We didn't do anything wrong."

Riverpaw shot him a sympathetic look. "Leading all four Clans has gone to his head! He even admitted that we did well, and decided to do nighttime hunting patrols because of us," She exclaimed agreeingly, and they swerved away from the river towards the herb place. Sure enough, Bravepaw caught sight of a remaining abundance of feathers, and he picked up pace to an eager trot.

That is, until an overwhelming stench stopped him in his tracks, skidding in the sand, causing his claws to unsheathe and his fur to bristle. Riverpaw's eyes were wide with fright, and Bravepaw eased in front of her protectively. She shot him a terrified look; she smelled it too. He had never smelled anything like it before. It smelled similar to the dogs from the twoleg places they'd encountered on the journey, but more raw and wild.

Bravepaw creeped forward towards the jojoba bush, hackles raised, and ready to leap out at the first sign of attack. But none came. Though the scent was overwhelming, poking his head underneath the bush where they had found Featherkit revealed nothing. "There's nothing here," He announced hesitantly, watchfully scouring their surroundings. Well, that wasn't exactly true. Bravepaw's tail bushed out at the sight of a bloodied pigeon carcass two foxlengths from where they stood.

"Maybe not now, but whatever left that scent can't be good. It still smells fresh. Let's hurry back," Riverpaw suggested shakily. The blue-grey apprentice padded over, quickly gathering as many of the remaining feathers that she could carry, and Bravepaw followed suit. As they hurried back towards the camp, an eerie wailing echoed throughout the landscape, sounding so close that Bravepaw swore he felt it vibrate to his bones.

They crashed through the camp entrance, having scattered feathers all along the way. Bravepaw's fur was still standing on end, and he panted, dropping more feathers as he tried to catch his breath. "Great StarClan, you two! You're dropping these feathers everywhere!" Nettlefire hissed, eyes narrowed towards the pair.

"We... need to... talk to Webstar," Bravepaw gasped. The fear in his eyes must have convinced their deputy because his scolding expression turned more serious, and without a word he lead the pair to the leader's den.

The black striped tom was already up and alert when they entered the deepest den. Webstar took one look at the expressions on their faces and his eyes narrowed. "What happened?" He demanded. Immediately, both apprentices began talking at once.

"We went to get feathers-"

"The jojoba bush-"

"The stench!"

"I saw a dead pigeon-"

"I felt like we were being watched!"

"This noise echoed behind us-"

"Enough, mouse-brains!" Nettlefire exclaimed, his tail lashing. "How can we expect to understand anything when you're both yapping like a fox in a fit?!" Webstar raised his tail to silence the deputy, studying the apprentices carefully. He fixed Bravepaw with an amber gaze, eyes softening. "Okay, Bravepaw, tell me what happened," He encouraged gently.

Bravepaw took in a deep breath, remembering the panic he had felt at the overwhelming scent. "There was a really, really strong scent by the jojoba bush we found Featherkit at. It's like nothing I've ever smelled before, and it was fresh! It kind of smelled like dog, but different, and I saw a pigeon carcass a couple of fox lengths away. On our way back, we heard this weird sound coming from behind us, too. Kind of like this-" He yowled in a ridiculous attempt to recreate the noise. Riverpaw's whiskers twitched and her frame shook, clearly withholding laughter.

Webstar studied the tom intently, fixing his deputy with a serious gaze once Bravepaw was done. "I want a patrol of senior warriors to go near the area and report what they find. I don't want any risks to be taken until we know what we're dealing with," He ordered, and Nettlefire dipped his head, padding out of the den.

Turning back to the pair, Webstar dipped his head. "I appreciate you two following your instincts to stay safe and reporting this to me immediately. You seem to have learned from your prior mistake, so you're free from your extra duties." Bravepaw let out a sigh of relief before he could stop himself, and his leader's whiskers twitched with amusement. "But first, please clean up that mess of feathers you made," Webstar added. "Nettlefire told me that it looks like a pigeon on the run at the den entrance. Those should be going to the nursery, I presume?"

Bravepaw nodded, ears burning. Riverpaw purred. "We'll get right on it," She mewed, signalling with her tail for the apprentice to follow out of the den. They were wordless as they gathered the mess of feathers and brought them to the nursery. Featherkit was curled up beside Thunderkit and Quietkit, but when they entered the den, she leapt to her paws, eyes wide with excitement. "My feathers!" She squeaked with joy, diving into the pile.

Riverpaw purred, prodding at the she-cat. "You can play with them for now, but they're supposed to be for Tidewhisper after she has her kits," The grey she-cat mewed.

Copper eyes blinked at them from the dim light in the den. "I hope Butterflypaw doesn't have you fussing over me," Tidewhisper huffed, bringing herself to her paws. Bravepaw's eyes widened at the size of the she-cat's belly compared to her tiny form. As if sensing her thoughts, the silver she-cat continued. "Just because I am small doesn't mean there is going to be any issues. My mother was small, too. And so was yours, Bravepaw."

Tidewhisper fixed Bravepaw with an intense gaze, and he felt his pelt prickling uneasily. "My mother is Hidinglight," He murmured, casting his gaze to his paws. As a kit, he remembered little about his birth mother, Littlemoon. He remembered more about Hidinglight - always there for his cries, and there for him to snuggle against when he was cold. At one point, Littlemoon had even told him that she was just feeding him her milk because Hidinglight's hadn't come in. It wasn't until he was older that he'd understood what had really happened.

"Hidinglight has been a good mother to you, Bravepaw, but you cannot escape your connection to the Moon. Don't you know how she died?" Bravepaw shifted uncomfortably at the strange she-cat's words. Tidewhisper had always been a little bit odd, talking about the things she learned from the moon and whatnot. The more she lived in the Clan, the more normal the tiny she-cat became, but she still had her odd moments.

"Well, see you later, Tidewhisper, Featherkit," Bravepaw muttered, backing out of the den. He didn't listen to hear if Riverpaw was behind him, and found himself picking up pace to a brisk run until he reached the main entrance. Sparrowdawn was stretching outside the warriors den; the former ShadowClan cats had been tasked with the night hunting patrols. Bravepaw padded over to his father, pressing his nose into his mostly white and tabby fur.

Sparrowdawn let out a sound of surprise. "You alright, Bravepaw?" The apprentice shook his head, feeling his paws shake. For some reason, what Tidewhisper had said upset him greatly. "What's wrong?" The white tom demanded, fixing Bravepaw with a serious gaze. "I just visited Tidewhisper. She brought up Littlemoon, and I told her Hidinglight was my mother. She told me that I can't escape my connection to her."

Sparrowdawn drew back, narrowing his eyes and fixing his amber gaze towards the direction of the nursery. "Don't listen to her, Bravepaw. She's had bees in her brain since we found her in ShadowClan territory," He mewed assuringly, though his tone was tinted with anger. Bravepaw raised his bright green eyes to stare at his father. "Blood isn't all that's important!" He vented, hearing his voice crack. "It most certainly is not," Sparrowdawn agreed, giving the apprentice an affectionate lick on his head.

His father's assurance did little to comfort the tom, and Bravepaw felt the air around him getting thick. "I'm going to step outside," He mewed hollowly, padding towards the entrance to camp without another word. He brushed past the returning patrol of Sagefrost, Finchberry, and Turtlespot, hardly registering their solemn, worried faces.

The sun had gone down quickly, and the half moon above him lit up the lake almost as beautifully as the sunrise. Letting out a sigh as the cool air chilled his fur, Bravepaw settled down, curling one paw over the other and resting his muzzle on his paws. _Don't you know how she died?_

Of course he did. How could he miss the whispered rumors that started up from the ShadowClan cats whenever they assumed he was out of earshot? Littlemoon had been the first known Clan cat to willingly end her own life. Bravepaw had to imagine that doing something like that was against the warrior code, and as he stared up at the stars above him, he wondered if she'd made it to StarClan at all.

* * *

Butterflypaw paced inside her den beside the still form of Houndpaw. Though she'd been giving him water, if he didn't wake up soon, he would starve. The thought of losing the apprentice made her pelt quiver with fear. _I can't lose another cat,_ She despaired, remembering the losses of Emberfall and Pebblebreeze, and all of the cats she'd lost to Cold Paw. _It's my job to save them._

But the petals she'd been giving him weren't working. She'd saved him from immediate death, but now it was beginning to seem that all she had done was make his dying more drawn out. Butterflypaw had no herbs for the heart, and nothing seemed able to wake him.

_Did I make the wrong choice? Am I not meant to be a medicine cat?_ The dream she'd been sent from StarClan at the lake territory had seemed to be a clear vision, but throughout most of her struggles here, they had been silent. _Except in telling me about the primrose_, she recalled. _But why would they only tell me how to heal him halfway?_

"There's not even any medicine cats from other Clans that I can ask for help," Butterflypaw thought aloud, despair sinking heavy in her paws. She paced back and forth restlessly, tail lashing. In her anxiousness, she knocked free one of the jojoba fruits, and it rolled to a stop beside the unconscious apprentice before she could catch it. Grasping the egg shaped fruit gently in her teeth, she paused as her teeth accidentally bit into it, and a cool feeling seemed to drift from the fruit, down her throat and through her body, like gentle waves. Butterflypaw could almost see the oil from the herb, healing her from inside...

And then the image was gone. Butterflypaw dropped the fruit in alarm; it remained completely in tact. She had only imagined breaking it open and swallowing the healing juice. She blinked her light brown eyes in surprise. _Was that a vision?_ She wondered. Butterflypaw recalled Featherkit saying that her mother had used the juice from the jojoba fruit to heal wounds, but she'd never spoke of swallowing it. Could it help?

Butterflypaw shook off any doubt. _I've got nothing to lose,_ she thought, cutting open the fruit with her claw and squeezing it over Houndpaw's muzzle, watching as the oily juice dripped into his jaws. Once again, she massaged his throat, forcing the unconscious tom to swallow, and placed the remains of the fruit back into the herb storage. _Please StarClan, let that help_, She prayed, staring at the tom as if she expected him to magically awaken.

After what felt like hours, Butterflypaw was interrupted by a sound at the entrance to her den. Hidinglight peered into the den, blinking towards the apprentice. "Butterflypaw, it's half moon," She mewed gently, and the apprentice blinked. "Halfmoon?" She mewed in disbelief. Her mentor? Her heart rose with hope before her brain processed what Hidinglight was truly saying, and she could have kicked herself. Butterflypaw had almost completely forgotten about sharing dreams with StarClan at half moon. She'd been so busy in this new place that she hadn't even been tracking the moon.

Butterflypaw padded towards the entrance of her den, shooting a worried glance towards Houndpaw. "Don't worry," Hidinglight assured her. "I called Applesplash to sit with him while you're out. I know you've been reluctant to leave Houndpaw. She's been wanting to check up on him, anyways, but has been afraid to get in the way." Butterflypaw realized with a flash of guilt that she hadn't told Applesplash she could visit her apprentice since she'd kicked the warrior out.

She dipped her head silently to Hidinglight, ears burning as Applesplash entered the den without a word to the medicine cat. Like a worried mother, the ginger warrior settled beside Houndpaw, licking his ears. "I've given him some jojoba juice to swallow," Butterflypaw mewed quietly. "I wanted to see if it can heal him from the inside as well. If anything changes, please let me know immediately."

Applesplash fixed her with an intense blue gaze and nodded. "Of course. You'll only be in the next cavern. I'll keep an eye on him," She promised, expression unreadable. Butterflypaw dipped her head in gratitude before joining Hidinglight in the cavern of the Moonrock.

The pair sat silently as they waited for moonhigh to light the Moonrock. When it finally came, a tiny sliver of moonlight caught on the center rock, dazzling the cavern with beautiful lights of red, orange, and gold. The breath caught in Butterflypaw's throat at the beauty of it, and she swore she could almost see all the stars in the sky coming down themselves to light the cavern.

Butterflypaw padded forward to touch her nose to the rock, but before she could get very far, Hidinglight stopped her with a wave of her crooked tail. She cleared her throat, hazel eyes wide at the beauty of the room. "Butterflypaw, as you know, I haven't had dreams of StarClan for awhile, the more you've learned to work on your own as a medicine cat and decipher StarClan's signs without my help. I knew when you came back with Houndpaw still alive after getting bit by a snake, but I wanted to make sure that StarClan approved. Last night, I spoke with Halfmoon. She told me that it was time."

Butterflypaw's eyes widened and excitement filled her chest as her brain registered what was happening. She had assumed that she would remain a medicine cat apprentice forever, especially without an official mentor to give her a full name.

Hidinglight cleared her throat, gazing at the apprentice with pride. "I, Hidinglight, mentor of SunClan's medicine cat, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained harder than many could ever hope to learn the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help, she will serve her Clan for many moons. Butterflypaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from any rivalries, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

Butterflypaw felt the words catch in her throat, and her answer was barely a whisper. "I do," She mewed hoarsely.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Butterflypaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Butterflysight. StarClan honors your attentiveness and dedication, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of SunClan." Butterflypaw's-no, Butterfly_sight_'s-paws shook as she padded over to the tortoiseshell she-cat, licking her mentor's shoulder as Hidinglight rested her muzzle on the new medicine cat's head.

"You've done well, Butterflysight," Hidinglight purred gently. "I know how hard it's been for you to do this without Halfmoon, but you've gone above and beyond. Your parents and Sunnykit would be proud." Butterflysight's eyes glistened, and after a moment, she heard the sound of her new name filling the cavern.

"Butterflysight! Butterflysight!"

Glancing at the source of the sound, she realized with a start that Tidewhisper had struggled her way out of the nursery and stood at the entrance to the cavern, yowling for her apprentice with pride. Hidinglight joined in, and for a moment, Butterflysight swore she could hear all the cats of StarClan cheering her name, and three star-studded forms curling around her with love.


	6. Chapter 6

_To Kesteralflight: That's a good idea! These kits names were already planned and submitted, but I'll definitely keep that in mind with the next litter of SunClan kits!_

_To The MoonClanner: No worries! I haven't forgotten about Tidewhisper's 'friend', and I assure you that will be worked into the plot. Stay tuned! Also, I may have tweaked a few things here, namely one of the kits genders. I hope you don't mind too much. And thanks! I think Butterflyflight is a good name too, I think that's pretty smart! And, I've actually brainstormed Creek's entrance in the story. It's a good one, but it might not be for a couple of chapters yet._

* * *

**Chapter 6**

As the grey and silver she-cat touched her nose to the stone, warmth spread from her nose all through her veins, melting her into a calm slumber. Around her, the world disappeared.

When she opened her eyes, Butterflysight was no longer in the cavern of the Moonrock. She was standing at the entrance of the camp, facing out towards the tunnel that bled the faintest silver of moonlight into the cave. She stepped forward, wondering if she could call out, but then reasoned that StarClan knew exactly where to find her.

Butterflysight moved her leg into the light, and it was instantly as if her paw was on fire. She let out a yowl of pain, yanking her paw back. As she inspected her front leg, she noticed nothing abnormal; that is, until she spotted the long, silvery teeth embedded into her flesh.

"Beware of that which imitates the stars," A voice echoed from around her, and Butterflysight whirled around, trying to find the source of the noise. A roaring sound filled the cavern, and Butterflysight's ears were filled with the sounds of agonized cats. Her breathing quickened and her heart raced.

The roaring grew louder until she realized with a start that it was not a roaring at all, but a crumbling and crashing of the cavern walls collapsing, and heavy tufts of wind flowing through the cavern strong enough to nearly knock her off her paws. Butterflysight whirled on her paws, trying to race away from the collapsing canyon walls, only to discover the exit had collapsed behind her. She was trapped.

"After teeth will come wind and earth, and then will come river to drown the sun."

At once, the stone beneath her paws was no longer solid; it was a thick, viscous substance, pulling her deep into its depths. The collapsing walls around her became thick streams of running water, quickly rising to her chest fur and below her muzzle.

As the world around her grew dark and muffled by water, the last thing she saw was a bubble of her breath rising to the surface, and the eerie voice echoed once more:

"Beware that which imitates the stars."

* * *

"Butterflysight! Please wake up!"

Butterflysight leapt to her paws, gasping deep breaths of air. The cavern had grown dark, no longer as illuminated by the moonlight. Her eyes adjusted to the light to see Applesplash and Hidinglight staring at her in alarm.

"Are you alright?" The motherly tortoiseshell inquired, spine bristling. Unable to speak, Butterflysight nodded, swiveling her gaze from one she-cat to the other. "Houndpaw-?" That was when she realized that Applesplash wasn't in the medicine den. Butterflysight's heart sank with dread.

"Butterflysight, he's awake!" The ginger she-cat exclaimed, pelt bristling. Butterflysight's eyes widened. "He's...?" The jojoba fruit had worked! She was barely aware of her paws as they pushed against the cool stone ground as she dashed towards the medicine den. "Houndpaw!" She exclaimed, freezing as she caught sight of the mostly black form. Grey eyes blinked sleepily back at her, confusion and disorientation clouding them. "Huh? Who's that?"

Butterflysight stopped in her tracks. "It's me, Butterflypaw. Well, Butterflysight now," She mewed uncertainly.

"I don't know you." The apprentice's voice became tinted with fear. "Where's Fallowfur?" A lump rose in the medicine cat's throat.

"Houndpaw, don't you remember me? I'm your medicine cat. Your mother is..." She trailed off, taking a step towards the frightened apprentice. Houndpaw shrunk away from her, quivering. "I don't know you! And why do you keep calling me Houndpaw? I'm still a kit!"

At that moment, Hidinglight and Applesplash appeared in the den. "He's been like that since he woke up," The ginger she-cat mewed, voice barely a whisper. Hidinglight padded forward, causing Houndpaw to leap back, fur standing on end. But the tortoiseshell paid him no mind. Her hazel gaze fixed on Butterflysight, expression solemn and strained. "Butterflysight, I know a lot is going on, but someone needs you more than Houndpaw does right now?"

Butterflysight tore her gaze away from the distraught apprentice. "How? How could someone need me more than him?" She gasped, exhasperated. Hidinglight's expression turned pained with worry. "It's Tidewhisper. She's gone into labor."

_Now? Now, of all times? Couldn't she have waited until tomorrow, or even dawn?_ Butterflysight felt her mind spinning with all that was happening. "I-I-" She stammered. For a moment, she swore her legs were going to shake with all of the uncertainty and doubt she'd felt all these moons, but instead of fear and dread rushing through her veins, Butterflysight felt something unexpected. Resolve.

Cool calmness washed over her, replacing all of her momentary panic. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes to send a brief prayer to StarClan. _Please, as always, guide my paws,_ She prayed, before opening her light brown eyes and turning towards Applesplash with certainty.

"Go get a former ThunderClan cat, someone who might have been close to Houndpaw when he was a kit. Try to keep him calm. I'm going to be busy for awhile, so he's in your paws," Butterflysight mewed with authority, before turning to Hidinglight. "I'll need cobwebs, wet moss - er... anything carrying water, jojoba seeds, and - you know what, just bring the whole fruit. I'm going to go check on her now. Please meet me in the nursery."

Butterflysight didn't wait for either cat to respond before she was out of the medicine den, racing for the nursery. Nettlefire was pacing beside his mate, and strained breathing filled the nursery. Newtpool had her red-brown tail curled protectively around her two small kits, holding Featherkit back with nothing but a stern stare.

However, once she caught sight of Butterflysight, the wide eyed kit broke free, kit-fluff bushed out in fear. "Please help! She's breathing weird!" Featherkit squeaked, quivering. Butterflysight purred. "She'll be alright. Her kits are coming, is all," She mewed gently before approaching Tidewhisper.

The first thing the medicine cat noticed was how Tidewhisper was eerily silent, except for some strained and uneven breathing. Normally at this point, a she-cat would be yowling to StarClan and back because of the pain. Gently prodding the tiny cat's belly, Butterflysight froze, eyes wide. She shook her head, glancing over to meet Tidewhisper's copper eyes.

Nettlefire, however, had noticed. "What's wrong?" He demanded, blue eyes wide with worry. Butterflysight ignored the tom, focusing only on the small queen. "How are you feeling, Tidewhisper?" She asked gently, and the silver she-cat fixed her with a weary but intense expression. "It doesn't hurt as bad as I thought it would," Tidewhisper admitted, gasping as her belly convulsed. "It is more intense muscle movement than anything."

Butterflysight had never heard that about labor before, that was for sure. However, if the she-cat wasn't in pain, she would surely be fine, right? "It seems like you've got a big litter coming," Butterflysight forewarned in the same gentle tone. "I think I felt five or six kits."

"Five?" Nettlefire echoed, his eyes as wide as the moon.

"Six," Tidewhisper breathed, eyes clouding over briefly as another spasm took over her. Butterflysight checked the queen over. "It looks like the first one's coming," She mewed. "Your body knows what to do, but your kits will need a little bit of help. When you feel the next contraction, push!"

Almost as soon as she spoke the words, Tidewhisper's large belly spasmed, and her breathing quickened. A tiny black bundle slid out and Butterflysight purred, nipping the sac that surrounded it. "Nettlefire, make yourself useful and lick your son's fur the wrong way to warm him up and help him breathe," The medicine cat ordered, nudging the tiny black kit over to his father. Nettlefire's eyes were wide with awe, clearly overwhelmed.

"Here comes another one," Butterflysight warned as Tidewhisper's tiny body spasmed again, and another kit came out almost as seamlessly as the first. Another black bundle, bigger than her brother. Butterflysight repeated the same actions as Hidinglight dashed into the den with a soaking wad of leaves and a jojoba fruit.

Wordlessly, the medicine cat passed the black she-cat over to Hidinglight, turning back towards Tidewhisper as a third bundle was born. This kit, too, was all black. After nipping the sac and setting the mewling kit over to Nettlefire, Butterflysight gently prodded the tiny cat's body. "Just two more," She urged to the queen, getting only a shaky sigh in response.

The next kit that was born was a black and white tom-kit, and last but not least, a very tiny black she-cat with a silver underbelly. Butterflysight licked the last two kit's fur backwards to warm them, only stopping when the den was filled with the tiny mewls of a cat's first breaths.

Tidewhisper erupted into purrs as the five kits nuzzled to her belly. Two black toms, one black she-kit, one black and white tom, and one black and silver she-cat. "They're beautiful," Hidinglight congratulated from beside Butterflysight. Featherkit padded over to the family group, eyes wide, and Butterflysight waved her tail to signal that the kit stay back.

Tidewhisper was staring at her kits with love, and Nettlefire settled on the other side of them, gently nosing his kits. "I never imagined..." He mewed, voice breaking. From the other side of the den, Newtpool stared forward with a dull, pained look in her eyes. Butterflysight was once again reminded of the night she'd lost Pebblebreeze to Greencough, and the difficult labor that Newtpool had experienced in their new home. Comparatively, Tidewhisper seemed to have everything.

"Look at these interesting markings," The tiny silver cat murmured, nosing the black and white tom. "This black splotch on his back almost looks like a tree from this angle." Nettlefire cocked his head, studying his kit's pelt. "You're right," He remarked. "It kind of looks like a tree surrounded by fog, with the white part of his pelt." He broke into a purr. "Can we name him Foggykit?"

Tidewhisper purred. "Then how about Hollykit for the black she-kit?"

"I think we should name the smaller tom Nightkit, after ShadowClan's leader before Jaystar," Nettlefire added thoughtfully. "And the bigger tom Shadowkit after - well, you know."

The pair stared at the tiny black and silver she-kit that remained nameless. Butterflysight felt her chest warm with love at her Clanmates and their new family, so much so that she almost missed the barely visible, misty figure that seemed to curl around the unnamed kit. She blinked, but the shape remained, and her spine bristled uneasily. _Am I seeing things now?_ She wondered.

Tidewhisper appeared to be staring at a point beyond them, and when her copper eyes cleared, they were filled with a seriousness Butterflysight hadn't seen in the tiny she-cat since she finished guiding the Clan cats on the journey. "Echokit," Tidewhisper mewed certainly, curling her tail around the smallest cat.

"Riverpaw, Thunderkit, and Shadowkit," Hidinglight purred. "Now we just need a Windkit!"

River... Wind... The tortoiseshell warrior's words brought back a flood of terrifying memories of Butterflysight's omen from StarClan. She struggled to keep her paws from shaking and her voice level. "Tidewhisper, try and eat some more of those seeds if you can. Hidinglight also brought you water," Butterflysight mewed, dipping her head. "I'm going to check up on Houndpaw. Please send for me right away if you need anything."

Tidewhisper fixed Butterflysight with an intense copper gaze. "We will, Butterflysight. Thank you, for everything," The silver she-cat purred. The medicine cat nodded, silently slipping out of the den into the larger cavern of the Moonrock. She stared up at the small hole in the ceiling of the cavern, mind awash with questions.

_"Beware that which imitates the stars. After teeth will come wind and earth, and then will come river to drown the sun."_

Could the prophecy be talking about Riverpaw? Was she destined to be the end of all the Clans?

* * *

Bravepaw waded into the water behind Maplerunner, moving as silently as possible. The water barely rippled with each swimming pawstep he took. He curved around the target, cutting off its escape route, tail low and eyes watchful.

A loud splash echoed several fox-lengths away from Bravepaw, scaring the duck into flight. "Fox dung!" Came a voice, but Bravepaw ignored Redpaw's grumpy protests, leaping out of the water in an attempt to catch the water bird. Fortunately, Maplerunner was closer, and he leapt out of his shallow water, hooking the bird's feathers with his claws to bring it crashing back down.

Once the prey was successfully caught, Bravepaw turned his attention over to a sopping wet, miserable looking Wildpaw, and a grumpy, bristling Redpaw. "Prey heard you romping around in the water all the way from here to SkyClan! You should be glad Webstar isn't with you today. I thought you were going to be made a warrior soon?!" Redpaw hissed, lashing his soaking tail angrily. It sent up a flurry of droplets, soaking the normally energetic apprentice further.

"I'm no good in water," Wildpaw complained. "I like moving around too much. It makes me feel stuck, and I hate being so wet! Why is Webstar making us train to catch these dumb birds?"

Bravepaw silently agreed. Although he was much more comfortable in the water, launching yourself out of the water after prey that could both swim and fly almost seemed too difficult to be worth it. To his surprise, Maplerunner let out a grunt of agreement from beside Bravepaw.

Redpaw's voice dropped to a whisper, almost out of the white and cream tom's earshot. "It was all Riverpaw's idea. She's practically got Webstar wrapped around her claws!"

"That's not true!" Bravepaw bristled, splashing over to the toms. A flash of guilt shone in Wildpaw's green eyes, but Redpaw only looked more annoyed. "She keeps coming up with all of these crazy ideas and Webstar won't let me become a warrior until I'm trained in all of them!" The reddish tom growled, tail slapping against the water's surface. "I've been an apprentice since before you were even born! I'm tired of trying to be a RiverClan cat, or a ShadowClan cat, or a WindClan cat!"

"They're good hunting ideas, and as SunClan warriors we need to be a good mix of all the Clans!" Bravepaw argued.

As if summoned, Sagefrost appeared, shooting her apprentice a sympathetic glance. "I know you're upset, Redpaw. I promise you that your warrior ceremony is going to be soon. Even us warriors are adjusting to these new practices, and this new area. There's no reason to keep you an apprentice."

The half deaf warrior's words seemed to do little to comfort the reddish tom, but he shut his muzzle and didn't say anything more. Maplerunner set the dead bird on the shore, before splashing over and touching Wildpaw with his tail. "Don't feel too bad about it, Wildpaw. We're not all river cats."

At that, Wildpaw brightened, turning towards Redpaw. "Webstar said he was going to take me night hunting tonight too! Maybe we can see about having your assessment done then?" His tail curled in excitement, clearly forgetting his momentary disappointment. Bravepaw stifled a purr, almost getting excited with Wildpaw, and he could see that Redpaw wasn't immune to the apprentice's energy either.

"Well, I suppose I'm better at catching those funny kangaroo rats than I am at catching these birds," Redpaw conceded, and Wildpaw launched himself at the tom playfully, tusseling with him in a chaotic splash of water.

"Well, we definitely won't find any more prey around here," Maplerunner remarked dryly, and Sagefrost purred. "Guess you're excited to get your fur dry, huh, wind-cat?"

"I'm sure we all are," Maplerunner mewed curtly, stepping out of the water and shaking his pelt. "Bravepaw, what's the best way to dry off when you're wet?" The tom called behind him, and Bravepaw's ears perked up, tail flicking with excitement. At once, he splashed out of the water, green eyes wide and eager. "By chasing rabbits!" He yowled, kneading his paws into the sand.

Maplerunner purred. "We'll make a WindClan cat of you yet," He mewed.

* * *

Butterflysight peered into the medicine den. Redpaw was resting besides his brother, Houndpaw, talking gently to him. The reddish apprentice had to go out on night patrol soon, but he wanted to spend his spare time with his confused littermate instead of resting. Fortunately, in the last half moon, Houndpaw's memory seemed to be returning in bits and pieces.

_That could be Sunnykit and I_. Butterflysight was struck with the thought before she could stop herself, and she shook her head. It wasn't often she thought of her lost littermate, but she couldn't deny that she missed it; Sunnykit had been the cat to hold the family together. Since she was gone, Butterflysight had hardly spoken with Wildpaw, and it didn't help that she was always busy with medicine cat duties.

A soft sigh escaped her; she never regretted her decision to become a medicine cat (though she'd certainly doubted herself); she'd known since she was a kit that it was her destiny. But she missed the closeness she'd had with her kin. Now, it seemed that she was in a completely different, isolated world from her brother.

Butterflysight padded into the main clearing, moving as silently as possible. She'd told Webstar about her vision, but her leader doubted her theory that the "river" in her prophecy represented the Clan's beloved Riverpaw. Since then, though she hated to admit it, she'd been observing the apprentice from the shadows. And that was what she was planning to do when she overheard the young she-cat's voice echoing from the warrior's den, presumably helping the other apprentices with den cleaning duties.

Butterflysight eased into the shadows of the warrior's den, thanking StarClan for her relatively dark pelt. She froze at the sight of which cats were in the den. Riverpaw was gathering dirty bedding with Wildpaw, chattering excitedly.

"...So how did you like hunting in the water today?"

"It was alright, but I don't like the way the water restricts my movements."

A purr erupted from the blue-grey apprentice, and she affectionately nosed Wildpaw. The tom's eyes widened at the gesture. "You'd do better with hunting fish," Riverpaw remarked. "That way you don't have to sit in the water."

Wildpaw appeared doubtful. "I don't know... Don't you have to sit really still?" Riverpaw nodded. "It's nice though," She assured him, "It's like you get to channel all of your movement and energy into attacking the fish, so it's even more powerful!"

Butterflysight blinked in confusion. As far as she'd heard, SunClan hadn't started hunting fish yet. Water birds, sure, but not fish. Why was Riverpaw talking as if from experience?

"Besides, with all the energy you have, channeling it into a single strike -" Riverpaw crouched down, jabbing at an invisible enemy. "You'd be the best hunter in the Clan!"

At the sentiment, Wildpaw's eyes were wide with excitement. "Do you think so?" He breathed, and the blue-grey she-cat briefly curled her tail with his. "I know so," She mewed, and appeared thoughtful for a moment, pulling back in a teasing manner. "Though, once you're a warrior, I'm sure you'll forget all about little apprentice Riverpaw..."

Wildpaw butted forward, nuzzling the she-cat. "I could never forget about you!" He mewed, eyes shining. Riverpaw purred, curling her body around his. "See that you don't," She teased.

Discomfort spread through Butterflysight, and she pulled silently out of the den, ears burning with embarassment. She'd had no idea that her sibling was growing so close to the young RiverClan cat. Though, to be fair, Riverpaw and Bravepaw had always been close; the young tom had trotted eagerly after the she-cat ever since they were kits in the nursery. But perhaps they were just friends.

As if on cue, Redpaw emerged from one of the deeper canyon tunnels, expression solemn and serious. "Have you seen Wildpaw? Webstar told me that it's almost time for patrol," Redpaw mewed, gazing around the clearing. As if on cue, Grassdaze padded forward. "Are you coming as well, Redpaw?"

"Yeah."

"You should stretch your legs. Those kangaroo rats are quick and jump around quite a bit."

"Thanks," The tom remarked dryly. "I'm looking for Wildpaw."

"Last I heard, he was cleaning the warrior's den. Wildpaw and Riverpaw woke us up a bit early to get their chores done." The black she-cat twitched her whiskers with amusement.

Butterflysight dipped her head, excusing herself from the pair. She'd always felt a little out of place in conversations with the warriors. It was all about hunting and fighting techniques. Meanwhile, her mind was filled with herbs and the ominous messages of StarClan.

Her purpose was true, but she'd never felt more alone.

* * *

_I promise I will post some more chapters very shortly. Because of how tired I am, it's incredibly hard to write on days that I work and I'm lucky if I can get even a chapter out in the four days that I work. I make up for it by churning out three or more chapters on my days off, but that doesn't help the weekend fanfiction warriors fans have the opportunity to see my story. Maybe I will have to start putting off when I post the chapters so it matches better with when people are awake. We shall see. For now, enjoy this midnight update._


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello friends! I will be posting a new Cats Of The Clans at the beginning of chapter 8, 9, or 10. Probably 10 but I kind of feel the need to post it sooner. So we shall see! For now, the first page reflects the cats as they were from the beginning of the story. Once I post the updated list, I will mention it on the first page so that others are aware of what pages the updated lists are on. _

_To The MoonClanner: Yep, water birds are ducks! I used the term interchangeably in the last chapter. And ohh okay I understand now haha Butterflyflight does kind of seem a bit redundant. Still sounds pretty though! Since this story is thus far written from Butterflysight's and Bravepaw's perspective, there's only so much that they observe. So as far as Tidewhisper telling her mate about that, I'm sure that it's definitely something that will come up in the background and I will see about finding ways to subtly hint at it from these POV's as well._

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Bravepaw couldn't sleep. Redpaw and Wildpaw had been chattering to the moon and back about their warrior assessments tonight, and he couldn't help but envy them. He imagined it were him out there, skillfully leaping after those kangaroo rats - he and Riverpaw had been the ones to show the Clan some tricks in hunting them, after all.

He curled his claws into his bedding, pushing the thoughts aside. _I've got a lot left to learn if I'm going to be the best warrior ever!_ He told himself. Bravepaw's green gaze swept through the apprentices den, settling on the blue-grey she-cat curled up in the nest next to him. Normally he would wake her, but she seemed to be sleeping peacefully, and he'd overheard Nettlefire saying Finchberry would be doing dawn patrol tomorrow.

Bravepaw brought himself to his paws, stretching his muscles. There was no use in sitting in the dark when he was so wide awake. Since his and Riverpaw's late night hunting excursion, many Clanmates had opted to be more of night owls. Maybe he wouldn't be the only one awake.

He padded into the main cavern, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the minimal light. It seemed relatively peaceful - that is, until a reddish fluff of fur carrying a colorful feather marched into the open, followed by two stumbling kits. As Bravepaw padded within earshot of the group, Featherkit turned around importantly, gesturing with her tail. "This is the warriors den!" She squeaked. "Only the coolest, bravest cats sleep here."

Thunderkit waved her tail excitedly. Quietkit stared into the dark den with wide eyes. "Will they eat us?" He squeaked. Featherkit purred. "No, silly! They're normal cats. It's the coyotes you've got to worry about."

That caught Bravepaw's interest. "Coyotes? What are those?" He inquired, padding closer to the group. Featherkit jumped a little, pelt bristling with fear before she recognized the tom. "Hi Bravepaw!" She squeaked. "Coyotes... well..." The reddish kit trailed off, her expression tinted with fear. "They're really bad," Featherkit mewed finally, voice barely a whisper. "They eat cats, and they can run really fast. That's how my sister Dawn died." She fixed her gaze to her paws, shoulders slumping.

Bravepaw's eyes widened with excitement. "They wouldn't mess with Clan cats!" He boasted. "I'll shred any of them before they come close. What are they like?" His voice dripped with excitement, oblivious to Featherkit's growing discomfort and Thunderkit and Quietkit's wide, frightened eyes.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Featherkit whispered, shrinking back in fear at some unknown enemy.

"Aw, c'mon-"

"Featherkitttt!" Thunderkit wailed loudly, headbutting the reddish she-kit. "You promised to show us around the camp!"

Newtpool padded from deeper in the canyon, appearing annoyed. "There you are," She chided, narrowing her eyes at Featherkit. "It is way too late for you kits to be awake. Come back to the nursery, now."

Thunderkit appeared crushed at the sight of her mother. "Momma, Featherkit was showing us around the camp! We've got to be night hunters so we've got to get used to staying up late." The tiny kit protested. Quietkit hung his head down shamefully.

"You'll do no such thing," Newtpool scolded. "What you learn as an apprentice is moons away yet. Young kits need their sleep, not to be bothering their Clanmates all hours of the night." She glanced toward Bravepaw, expression unreadable. Without another word, she picked Thunderkit up by the scruff and led the remaining two kits back towards the nursery.

Bravepaw tried to hide his disappointment. He got along with kits; they always had so much energy. He peered around the cavern once more, before padding to the entrance of the camp. The night air was as cool as a leaf-bare day. He puffed his fur out against the cold, wondering how Wildpaw and Redpaw were doing on their warrior assessments.

That was when he heard the wailing sound that echoed across the canyons, chilling him to the bone. Now, Bravepaw's pelt was bushed out, but not for the cold.

"You heard it too?" Bravepaw jumped at the sound of a voice beside him, and he glanced over to see the briefest shadow of a dark grey tabby standing on night watch. Rainpoppy's expression was guarded and grim. "I've been hearing it the last couple of nights. Butterflysight and I felt like we were being watched..."

"It's the same sound that Riverpaw and I heard half a moon ago when we came back from the herb place!" Bravepaw exclaimed, eyes wide. "We found a dead bird and the jojoba bush smelled like no animal I've ever scented before!"

At that, Rainpoppy's eyes widened a fraction. "Really?" She asked, voice heavy with seriousness. Bravepaw nodded. "We told Webstar and he sent a patrol to check it out, but I hadn't heard about it since then." He shuffled his paws. "I'd thought maybe we'd just imagined it."

Rainpoppy fixed her gaze out into the darkness, her spine bristling. "I don't think so," She mewed. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

That was when the screaming began.

* * *

"Butterflysight! Hurry, wake up!"

The grey and silver she-cat blinked through bleary eyes at the cream and white apprentice as he raced into her den. "Bravepaw? What's wrong?" She asked, blinking heavily.

The cream colored tom's fur was standing on end. "It's the night patrol," Bravepaw gasped. "Something's happening. Nettlefire said you need to be ready because it sounds really bad."

That got her attention. _Ready? For what?_ Dread sunk heavy into Butterflysight's chest as the words of the prophecy returned to her. She leapt to her paws, racing out of the den towards the main cavern.

The Clan was in chaos. Yowls of agonized cats echoed from outside, seeming to grow louder by the minute. Nettlefire was trying to gather a group of warriors to assist the night patrol, but every cat seemed too panicked to listen.

Suddenly, it felt as if a slice of ice slashed her chest with a realization. Wildpaw's on that patrol. Her heart sped up, then skipped a beat. Before she knew what she was doing, Butterflysight was unsteadily heading for the camp entrance.

She hadn't gotten very far when a cat came pounding after her. "Butterflysight, wait!" Butterflysight whirled around, staring with wide, worried eyes as Rainpoppy caught up to her. "You're not going alone," The grey tabby she-cat mewed.

Butterflysight felt a lump rise in her throat. "Wildpaw's out there," She mewed hoarsely. "I have to help him."

"I know. I'm coming with you," Rainpoppy mewed grimly. The distant screams seemed to be fading. "But we'd better hurry." Without another word, they raced towards the source of the noise, moving as silently and quickly as possible towards the snake-rocks.

The eerie wailing filled the air once more, sounding closer than ever. Their fur stood on end, but nothing could have prepared them for what they were about to see.

Blood coated the rocks, so much blood that it dripped heavily between the cracks. Tufts of fur scattered in between crevices, and a mauled white body lay in the center. No other cats were in sight. Butterflysight padded cautiously with a sinking heart as she approached the body of the gentle, wise ThunderClan cat. Her face was contorted in a snarl, blue and brown eyes dull with death. Her belly was ripped completely open, and her claws were still unsheathed, clinging to tufts of coarse, light brown fur.

"Oh, Sagefrost," Butterflysight whispered, staring down at the she-cat's bloodied body. "What did this to you?"

"Butterflysight! Over here! I found them!" Rainpoppy called, scanning the landscape alertly. Butterflysight tore her gaze away from her Clanmate, leaping over the stones over to where Rainpoppy was gesturing towards a small hole in the rocks, big enough for a cat but nothing else. "Their scents are strong here, but so is the blood. Butterflysight... I think you should prepare yourself. I'll keep guard."

What could she say to that? Unable to speak, Butterflysight merely nodded, pushing past Rainpoppy and squeezing into the tiny rock cave. "Wildpaw? Redpaw? It's Butterflysight, I'm here to help."

The thick darkness was almost suffocating with the stench of blood and death, but she pushed past it, willing her eyes to adjust to the light.

After what felt like hours, she finally heard it; the voice she'd been desperately praying for. "Butterflysight? Did-" Wildpaw's voice was barely a whisper, and abruptly got cut off.

Shuffling echoed from further into the darkness and she became aware that the tiny crevice was much bigger inside than she'd already thought. Redpaw's voice echoed from the darkness, clearly sounding strained. "He just passed out, Butterflysight. He's lost a lot of blood. Webstar's here too, he's not waking up."

"Rainpoppy, I need cobwebs _right now_! We're safe in here for the moment. Please be careful!" Butterflysight called, pelt bristling as she navigated the darkness. Though she could somewhat locate her brother and leader by scent (it was incredibly difficult to do so over the scent of blood), she felt as if she were blind.

"Redpaw, what kind of wounds does Wildpaw have?" Butterflysight asked as she came upon her brother's body. She pushed aside the panic at what she was dealing with, forcing her mind to focus instead on what she knew as a medicine cat. Find the source of the bleeding and put pressure on it.

"He has a nasty bite on his leg, I think. Butterflysight, Webstar..." Redpaw trailed off, his voice cracking. For the moment, she pushed his worry aside. "Redpaw, Webstar still has one life left after this one. Wildpaw only has one. I'm sure our leader would agree with my decision here." With that, she pressed down hard on a part of his leg that felt thick with blood.

Redpaw didn't have a chance to respond, and Rainpoppy's voice called down into the crevice. "I brought cobwebs. Nettlefire's patrol is here. He says we need to bring everyone up so we can assess the damage."

"I don't care what he says," Butterflysight snapped, "I'm the medicine cat and neither of these cats can be moved until I've looked them over and put some cobwebs on their wounds!"

"Alright, alright. Here."

Butterflysight signalled to Redpaw with her tail, forgetting for a moment that she was trapped in absolute darkness. She silently cursed the darkness before calling out to the apprentice. "Redpaw, I need you to grab the cobwebs. We can't risk Wildpaw losing any more blood."

Silence filled the makeshift cave. "Butterflysight, I have my paws on Webstar's throat," Redpaw mewed after a moment, his voice coming out choked.

"For StarClan's sake, Redpaw! Webstar has a life left! Come on!"

"He hasn't woken up yet..."

"The cobwebs will help him too! Now!" It wasn't like Butterflysight so be so snappy. She knew, too, in a small part of her mind, that she should at least check on Webstar. But she also knew that if she lost Wildpaw too, she'd never forgive herself.

After several long moments, shuffling sounded as Redpaw squeezed beside her, grabbing the cobwebs from Rainpoppy. He wordlessly passed them to Butterflysight who pressed the cobwebs against Wildpaw's seeping leg wound. She held them there for several long moments before daring to lift her paws from his bloodied pelt. To her relief, the cobwebs held fast.

Butterflysight let out a long sigh. "Alright, Redpaw. Let's send Wildpaw up and I'll see if Webstar has come back around yet," She mewed. Wordlessly, Redpaw obeyed, helping Butterflysight to carefully lift her brother out of the crevice where his Clanmates were waiting for him.

Finally, Butterflysight turned to the still form of Webstar. She lay her head on his chest, listening carefully for the heartbeat. To her relief, though slow, it was steady, and her leader was letting out shallow breaths. "He's back with us. Let's patch up his major wounds and get him back to camp so I can treat for infection," She ordered, grasping the leftover cobwebs and pressing it to her leader's large neck wound.

After Butterflysight was confident in their ability to move the leader, and with the help of Nettlefire's patrol, they made their way back to camp. Dewthistle and Applesplash flanked the edges of the patrol, keeping watch, while Butterflysight, Redpaw, Wildpaw, Sagefrost's body, and the cats helping to carry them stayed in the center. Nettlefire led the group, though he clearly appeared worried for the leader, and Butterflysight was reminded that Webstar was like a father to the deputy.

Once in the sunlight, Butterflysight was able to see that Redpaw had not escaped unharmed either, but his wounds were much more manageable than the serious wounds of her brother and leader. She silently reminded herself to check up on him once Wildpaw and Webstar were stabilized.

"Redpaw," Sparrowdawn mewed after a long moment. "Where's Grassdaze?"

Butterflysight remembered with a start that the young warrior had been part of the night patrol. She had seen neither hide nor tail of the black she-cat; though, she had been focused on treating Wildpaw and Webstar.

It seemed that Redpaw was just as clueless as she was. He shook his head, eyes dull with grief while helping to carry Sagefrost. "She was one of the last cats fighting, along with Sagefrost. We were in the crevice so I didn't see what happened."

Sparrowdawn's eyes were wide and his pelt bristled. "I'll look for her," He began, taking a step away from the group, but Nettlefire stopped the warrior with a sharp glance. "No. We aren't going to lose anymore warriors today. We don't know what we're dealing with. I'll send a patrol out tomorrow to search for her, but for now, everyone goes back to camp."

Sparrowdawn's hackles raised, clearly unhappy about the order, but he knew well enough to keep his jaws shut.

Much later, as she redressed her brother's wounds and made sure her awakening leader remained still so as not to reopen wounds, Butterflysight found something embedded in her brother's legs that she hadn't noticed before.

His fur was ripped away in patches, and in his skin was embedded two large silver teeth.

* * *

"By the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Redpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Redwind. StarClan honors your courage and bravery and we welcome you as a full warrior of SunClan." Webstar was hardly mobile with his wounds, but he completed the ceremony with stoic resolve, resting his head on the reddish warrior's head before he turned to Wildpaw. Though the apprentice's leg was still weak, his energy had not suffered, and he nearly vibrated with excitement. Butterflysight withheld a purr of amusement.

"By the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Wildpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Wildheart. StarClan honors your courage and enthusiasm and we welcome you as a full warrior of SunClan." Butterflysight raised her head high as her brother's name was announced, yowling deep into the cavern his warrior name.

"Redwind! Wildheart! Redwind! Wildheart!"

It had hardly been more than a couple of sunrises, but despite the medicine cat's protests, Webstar had insisted on giving the two toms their warrior names.

"They fought like warriors. There's no reason to wait," The black striped warrior had told her when she requested more time for them to heal. Butterflysight had reluctantly agreed, under the condition that their movements be kept to a minimum and Webstar remain on level ground during the meeting.

Now, both toms held their heads high, their chests puffed out with pride. Riverpaw emerged from the crowd, padding over towards Redwind with adoring eyes. Butterflysight was just close enough to hear the young apprentice's words.

"You were so brave! And now you're a full warrior. I know our Clan is in good hands with you." At that, Riverpaw entwined her blue-grey tail with Redwind's reddish one, and Butterflysight swore she could see the new warrior turn two shades more red. The medicine cat blinked with confusion. Wasn't Riverpaw close to Wildheart?

Glancing for her brother, Butterflysight spotted the dark grey tom padding over towards Rainpoppy, whose whiskers were already twitching with amusement. "Well, Rainpoppy, I'm a warrior now. You know what that means..." The energetic tom mewed with a wink.

Rainpoppy's tail twitched with laughter, but she otherwise said nothing, and Wildheart seemed to lose some of his resolve at her silence. "It, uh... It means that we can compete together again!" He blurted out. "I'll bet I'm way better at catching prey than you!"

Rainpoppy snorted. "Prey can hear you coming from a mile away, Wildheart."

Butterflysight stifled a purr and padded out of earshot. It seemed he was still mooning after Rainpoppy, despite what he'd seen in the warrior's den with Riverpaw. Purhaps the apprentice was just friendly with her Clanmates.

That's what Butterflysight thought, however, until she saw Riverpaw nuzzling Redwind, entwining her pelt with his in a very affectionate manner. And it seemed that Bravepaw saw it too; she spotted the white and cream tom bristling at the edge of the crowd, a kangaroo rat in his jaws, eyes wide with pain and confusion.

The look in his eyes was enough to break Butterflysight's heart. She took a step towards the apprentice, jaws open as if to comfort him, but Bravepaw spotted her first. His eyes revealed all of the emotions in his heart, and he disappeared before she could say a word.


	8. Chapter 8

_Announcement: Sorry for the delayed post. I've been getting into WoW so I've been distracted from writing, and for some reason feeling a little less inspired for this story than I was of the last one. I'll probably be trying to shake things up in order to regain my motivation._

_Also; The MoonClanner's comment made me realize something I never clarified. In this version of warriors, the Clans knew about SkyClan, in the same way they knew about the Tribe Of Rushing Water; however, SkyClan never lived with the Clans. There are mild references here and there where cats will be referred to as similar to SkyClan cats._

_To The MoonClanner: I appreciate your ideas. I won't be able to use those characters, however; that would take the story in a different direction than how I'm planning to. I hope you'll still be able to enjoy these character's role in my story however! I've got some exciting ideas planned._

* * *

**Chapter 8**

He couldn't think straight. Everywhere he turned, she was with - him. Redwind. Talking about how brave he was. Bravepaw had thought of the reddish tom as a friend. He'd had no idea that he was out to steal his girl.

To make matters worse, Riverpaw had hardly looked twice at him since the attack. She stared at Redwind with wide, moony eyes, asking to tell her again about the coyote attack, or to describe the vicious creatures that attacked them. Bravepaw might have been as excited and curious as Riverpaw was, but it was hard to focus on anything else except the way that the blue-grey she-cat took every opportunity to entwine herself with the reddish tom.

Bravepaw huffed, scraping his claws against the reddish stone beneath his paws. _What does he have that I don't? Just because he became a warrior in some heroic manner..._

An idea struck him. The faintest glimmer of hope and desperation blossoming in his chest, and at once, he knew how to prove himself to Riverpaw. Bravepaw would reach her with the thing that touched her heart the most - the river.

As if on autopilot, Bravepaw made way towards where he knew the pretty blue-grey she-cat was chattering like an excited kitten with Redwind. When he spotted them, it took all of his willpower not to launch himself at the tom with unsheathed claws. Bravepaw chose to focus instead on Riverpaw's beautiful blue eyes, and the way her white tail tip twitched with excitement. He willed himself to believe that it was him she was looking at that way, he who made her so alive and excited.

Steeling himself, Bravepaw brushed towards Riverpaw, forcing his expression to be friendly and relaxed. "Riverpaw, I want to show you something!" He mewed, standing a little taller and puffing out his chest.

To his dismay, the she-cat didn't even glance his way. "Later, Bravepaw. Redwind was telling me about how he fought alongside Sagefrost and sent one of the coyotes reeling!" Riverpaw giggled. Redwind looked a little sheepish at her praise but eyed Bravepaw warily.

Bravepaw swallowed past the jealous lump in his throat. "Aw, come on, Riverpaw. You've heard that story twice already. I really want to show you something!"

Apparently he'd said too much. Riverpaw's eyes fixed on him, all softness and adoration replaced by a restrained fury. "Back off already, Bravepaw!" Riverpaw hissed.

Bravepaw recoiled as if struck, and Redwind curled his tail protectively around the blue-grey she-cat. "Alright," He mewed to her, voice barely a whisper, and turned to leave. Bravepaw hesitated, shooting the she-cat another glance, but she was already looking back towards Redwind, chatting with him quietly. "I keep my promises, Riverpaw," He mewed a little louder, his fury steeling to a heavy resolve.

Without another word, he raced off, out of the camp, past a surprised Hidinglight and ignoring a sympathetic look from Butterflysight. Bravepaw forced his claws deeper against the canyon stone, until the world around him was a blur and the sounds of the camp had long disappeared.

He tried not to hope that Riverpaw would see he was upset. He tried not to hope that she was racing after him, calling, "Wait, Bravepaw!" He tried not to imagine that she would run up to him, her large blue eyes apologetic, and press her muzzle into his pelt. "I'm sorry, Bravepaw."

He tried not to hope. But he still found himself waiting at the shore, ears pricked in the direction of the camp. Each heartbreaking moment passed by with thick silence except for the running water. Bravepaw steeled himself. "I'll show you that I'm good enough," He vowed, as if Riverpaw could hear him. "I'll show you how brave I am. I'll bring back the prettiest rock for you, just like I promised."

Without another word, Bravepaw slipped into the water.

* * *

Butterflysight checked over her brother's leg wound, hissing at him now and again to stop fidgeting. The energetic tom had reopened his wound twice already in the span of the last quarter moon. She was grateful, in a way, to be spending more time with her brother; but at the same time, he was making her job way more difficult than it had to be.

Because Wildheart insisted on being up and about, his wound was taking longer to heal. He seemed to mysteriously "lose" the poultices she carefully made for his leg, and a mild infection was taking hold despite her efforts. No matter how much she ordered him to rest, Wildheart still found some way to delay his wound healing.

Butterflysight sighed as she finished dressing his wound. She knew he wasn't doing it on purpose; Wildheart had been named for his energy, after all. But she just wished he would know when to quell it.

"Are you done? Can I go now? Rainpoppy was going to do a mock battle with Redwind and I want to practice!" Wildheart demanded impatiently, sniffing his leg poultice with a wrinkled nose. "Yes, I'm done, but I don't want you-" ...Annnnd he was gone.

Butterflysight lashed her tail irritably. How could she be expected to be a proper medicine cat when her own brother wouldn't even listen to her?

"Don't feel bad, Butterflypaw. I don't think he could sit still if he tried." A quiet voice came from the corner of the medicine den, and Butterflysight swiveled her gaze towards the mostly black tom cat with the white tuft on his chest. "Butterflysight, remember?" She mewed gently, and Houndpaw's eyes widened before he cast his gaze to his paws. "Sorry. It's still kinda jumbled," He muttered.

"It's okay. Your memory has improved quite a bit. I think you'll be ready to get back out training soon," Butterflysight encouraged, but the apprentice looked doubtful. "I don't know," Houndpaw mewed hesitantly. "Some days I feel clearer than others, but other days I forget where I am all over again..." He fixed her with a pained expression. "I'll never get to be a warrior, will I?"

Butterflysight narrowed her eyes. "I won't have any of that negativity here," She mewed fervently. "Of course you will. Your mind is just taking a little longer to recover from the snake venom, is all. No cats have survived that before. StarClan kept you here for a reason." She gently touched the tom with her tail, blinking at him reassuringly. He remained silent for several long moments.

"What if I don't want to go back?" He mewed softly. Houndpaw stared at Butterflysight with warm amber eyes. A strange warmth seemed to spread through her face, and she realized exactly how close they were. His tail was gently touching her pelt, his face only a whisker length away from hers.

Butterflysight pulled back abruptly, her heart racing. What's wrong with me? "Don't be silly, you're going to be a warrior," She mewed quickly, avoiding his eyes and gathering some herbs for Webstar. "Unless if you've decided to become a medicine cat?" She added teasingly, and Houndpaw scoffed. "What, and chew up herbs all day? No thanks!" He mewed. With that, the strange moment vanished, and Butterflysight relaxed, turning towards the entrance to her den.

"No news about Grassdaze yet?"

Houndpaw's voice stopped Butterflysight in her tracks, and she swallowed past a lump in her throat. "No, none of the patrols have seen any sign of her." Butterflysight mewed, thinking of the missing she-cat. They had lost Sagefrost in the battle with the coyotes, Webstar had lost a life, Wildpaw was majorly injured, and Grassdaze was missing. No cat wanted to think the worst, but it was hard not to imagine that she might be dead as well.

"I hope we find her soon. She was always kind to me," Houndpaw mewed thoughtfully. Butterflysight nodded. "I hope so too," She sighed, padding towards Webstar's den.

Unlike her energetic brother, Webstar was a much better patient. Though he wanted to be helping the Clan, he knew full well that the best way for him to help the Clan was by resting, especially seeing as he was on his last life.

The black striped tom looked up as Butterflysight entered the den. His eyes were alert, and the bloodied mess that had made up his neck was healing well. She pushed aside a feeling of guilt; Webstar had lost his life before she would have been able to reach him, she reminded herself. "Just coming to check on you," Butterflysight mewed lightly as she set down the herbs. She gently prodded at his neck wound. It was healing, but she didn't want to risk it opening again.

"I think we'd better give you some more time before you go back to normal duties," Butterflysight determined. Webstar dipped his head. "Thank you, Butterflysight. Can you send Nettlefire in here? I want to come up with a plan about those two coyotes in case they come back. We can't have them in our territory; they will pick us off one by one." His amber eyes darkened grimly, remembering the gruesome battle.

Butterflysight suppressed an uneasy shiver. "You don't think they'll be back, do you? My dream only had the first incident with the teeth," She mewed hopefully, though her heart sank as Webstar shook his head. "Your dream showed multiple teeth," He reminded her, "And I didn't get the impression that those coyotes are ones to give up once they've had a taste of cat." His eyes narrowed thoughtfully and he stared off into the distance, tail lashing. "We promised the Clans a safe place to thrive as one. I'm not going to let anything jeopardize that."

Butterflysight nodded, though doubt cluttered her mind. Webstar was right, but the thought of losing any more of her Clanmates worried her greatly. Dipping her head in respect, she padded out of the leader's den.

The first thing she noticed was Featherkit, sitting off to the side with wide eyes. As the medicine cat approached, the reddish kit shrunk back, eyes wide with fear. Ever since the coyote attack on their Clanmates, the young kit had been especially skittish. Any little noise startled her. "Hello, Featherkit. Have you gone outside yet today?" Butterflysight mewed gently. Normally, Featherkit would lounge in a sunny spot just outside the camp; Webstar allowed it so long as she didn't travel anywhere else beyond the camp. However, since the attack, the young kit had hardly left the nursery.

Wordlessly, Featherkit shook her head, her eyes wide. Butterflysight felt sympathy weigh heavy in her paws; she wanted to do whatever she could to help the young kit go back to her exciteable self. "How about this," She mewed, "I've got to fetch Nettlefire for Webstar. Do you want to go sit in the sun with me when I'm done? I need to go outside anyways to dry some herbs."

Featherkit appeared hesitant, but after a moment she nodded. "Okay," She squeaked. "You'll watch for coyotes, right?" Her eyes were wide with concern. Butterflysight purred. "Of course. We'll just be by the camp entrance; we'll be perfectly safe," She promised. That seemed to calm the young kit, and Butterflysight stopped to gather some herbs from her den before heading out to the main cavern, Featherkit short on her heels.

An an air of uneasiness seemed to be settled among the camp. The normal bickering of Applesplash and Turtlespot was silent, and cats obeyed Nettlefire's organizing patrols without so much as a scoff under their breath. The ThunderClan cats that had been closest to Sagefrost, namely Redwind and Newtpool, walked with their tails dragging and shoulder's slumped (though Riverpaw was doing everything she could to try and distract the reddish tom). Even the other Clan cats seemed to be feeling the loss of the wise she-cat.

As Butterflysight made her way towards the young deputy, Hidinglight stopped her, her crooked, shortened tail wagging anxiously, though her expression revealed nothing but slight concern. "Butterflysight, have you seen Bravepaw? I haven't seen him since he ran off earlier," The tortoiseshell mewed. "I thought he might be with Riverpaw, but she said she hadn't seen him."

Butterflysight recalled how Bravepaw had rushed away from Riverpaw, clearly holding back the pain at seeing her with another tom cat. But she'd seen something else in his green eyes; determination. She'd thought that the tom had just needed some space to cool down, but the fact that he wasn't back yet...

"Featherkit and I are going outside to dry some herbs. We'll keep an eye out for him," Butterflysight mewed assuringly, not wanting to worry the she-cat. Hidinglight shot her a grateful look. "Thank you, Butterflysight."

With that, the medicine cat approached Nettlefire, pausing beside the deputy to quietly inform him of Webstar's summon. He nodded briefly and wrapped up the patrols before padding to the back of the camp.

Butterflysight turned towards Featherkit. "You ready?" She inquired, willing the kit to feel a bit excited. Featherkit trembled a little bit as they got closer to the camp entrance, eyes wide and alert to her surroundings, and ignored the medicine cat.

The sun bore down in a pleasingly warm manner, lighting up Butterflysight's fur. She purred quietly as she carefully lay down the herbs she'd been carrying, sorting them into neat piles so that they got equal amounts of sunlight. It had been wise to wait until well after sunhigh to go outside.

Even Featherkit seemed to relax a little bit in the sunlight. She flopped against the canyon stone, her reddish brown fur nearly blending in with some of the stone. Once Butterflysight was done sorting her herbs, she sat down, gazing out at the scenic landscape before her. The river dipped far below them, lined by rising reddish orange canyon stone. Birds flew across the cloudless sky, filling the air with song. The river's lake sparkled in the sunlight like a thousand moving stars.

Her light brown gaze drifted towards a thinner part of the river, where an object seemed to be bobbing up and down with the current. Butterflysight puzzled over it for several long moments, trying to make out the distant object. It disappeared beneath the surface for several long moments before resurfacing, seeming to bob up with a wild energy that was a bit quick for an inanimate object.

That was when she realized that it wasn't an object at all, but Bravepaw, fighting against the water's current with something caught in his jaws. Butterflysight's eyes widened and she leapt to her paws, racing down the canyon stone to try and catch up to the drifting tom. "Bravepaw!" She yowled as he disappeared yet again beneath the surface. She raced along the shore, tail lashing with fear as she prayed to StarClan to see him resurface once more.

Long, painful moments passed as the prayer went unanswered. As swiftly as she had spotted him, he was gone. The surface of the water appeared frighteningly calm for something so quick to cause tragedy.

* * *

Getting to the bottom of the lake was easy enough, though his lungs screamed for air. Somehow, beams of sunlight shone from the surface of the water, lighting a beautiful blue stone at the bottom. Bravepaw was able to grasp it in his jaws and push against the lakebed, launching himself upwards.

That was when everything went wrong.

He hadn't realized how deep it was on the way down. He also hadn't realized that the part of the lake he was swimming in was the mouth of the river, where the still lake picked up to a violent undercurrent. Bravepaw struggled against the water, kicking his legs in a violent effort to reach the surface. Black spots danced across his vision, and the sun in the water above him looked more like a moon, shining silvery light onto him.

Tidewhisper's words echoed in his ears. _"You cannot escape your connection to the moon. Don't you know how she died?"_

_She drowned_, Bravepaw realized with sudden clarity. _And I'm going to drown too_. A chill swept along his spine as the current tumbled him through the water, and he used his fear as a drive to break the surface of the water.

Bravepaw could barely get in a breath of air before he was dragged into the undertow once more. He surfaced again, struggling to hold tight to the shimmering blue stone in his jaws while taking in as deep a breath as possible. For a moment, he swore he heard someone calling his name, but he went under once again before he could respond.

_Please StarClan, save me!_ Bravepaw thought, fear tightening his chest as he tumbled and struggled against the fierce current. His lungs burned for air, but he didn't resurface once more. _No! I'm not going to die like this!_ Bravepaw thought, fighting as if a whole den of foxes were on him rather than the formidable river. The black spots returned in his vision and his movements became heavy, his paws clawing upwards towards the watery moon above him.

Despite his efforts, his thoughts and movements slowed, and the black dots became heavy waves closing in on his vision. Bravepaw could only watch as little bubbles of air rose to the surface above him, could only be dragged along wherever the river wanted to take him. For a brief moment, he thought he saw a white pelt against his, green eyes blinking at him with sorrow and love. Then everything went black.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

A claw in her side roused her. The cool cavern was nearly empty of all light, not that the warrior's den got that much sunlight, anyways. Blinking through bleary eyes, the dark grey tabby she-cat stared up at the silhouette of a former ThunderClan tom - Maplerunner - though his scent had long since blended in with the rest of the Clan cats. "Dawn patrol," Maplerunner mewed gruffly. "Nettlefire wants us to outline the coyote territory and make sure they haven't strayed beyond it."

Rainpoppy stretched her legs, feeling the blood rush through her stiff limbs. She'd not slept well the night before; her sleep was broken and disturbed by dreams of long lost Clanmates. She brushed past Maplerunner, offering a curt, "Let's get this over with." _The sooner we're done, the sooner I can get some real sleep. Maybe I'll ask for some poppy seeds from Butterflysight when we get back._

She moved silently through the shadows of the camp so as not to wake her Clanmates. Coming upon the camp entrance, Rainpoppy's eyes took a moment to adjust to the early morning light, though she was so used to moving in the shadows to avoid the heat that she hardly needed sight anymore. The scents the rest of the patrol drifted over to her; Applesplash, Houndpaw, Maplerunner, and Hidinglight.

Rainpoppy's eyes narrowed at the tortoiseshell she-cat. Hidinglight's gaze was fixed on the ground, seeming even more reserved than usual. _What is Nettlefire thinking? _ She wondered. _Hidinglight is a skittish cat as it is. And after losing Bravepaw, I doubt she's ready to take on coyotes._ When she was younger, she'd looked up to Hidinglight like an older sister. As she got older, Rainpoppy had developed a resentment towards the she-cat, especially for abandoning the Clan when they needed their warriors the most. Though it ended up being for the better, she couldn't help but feel that if Hidinglight and Sparrowdawn hadn't ever left, Eagletail and her mentor, Quicktuft, might have lived.

Her eyes turned towards Houndpaw, who was staring around the cats with wide, uneasy eyes. Rainpoppy's tail lashed with irritation. Houndpaw hadn't been back to normal apprentice duties for very long, and he still clearly exhibited some confusion and memory issues in his training. "Nettlefire needs a break," She remarked under her breath. She'd seen first hand the damage that the coyotes could do - she hadn't been able to get the image of the blood stained rocks out of her head since.

Maplerunner grunted in agreement, and without another word, the patrol began heading down the rocks. Rainpoppy noticed how Hidinglight's hazel eyes lingered on the surface of the river, sorrow heavy enough to drown her. The dark grey she-cat turned away, tail lashing in discomfort. She wasn't particularly fond of Hidinglight, but Bravepaw had been a positive, energetic member of the Clan. Without him, the Clan just felt... empty.

As the sun climbed higher, Rainpoppy felt the stone underneath her paws change to a dry, sandy surface, with scratchy underbrush. Her ears flicked at the sight of some rabbits, grazing on the dry grass, but she knew that they couldn't hunt until their mission was completed. Over the past moon, they had narrowed down the coyote location to an area east of camp, in a shaded rocky area near the herb place. They knew for sure that there were at least two coyotes, and likely another.

And yet, Webstar insisted the Clan hold off on attacking. He ordered them to gather as much information as possible - their habits, how they attacked, and when they slept. He'd said that the best way to attack this was to keep their enemies as close as possible, and Rainpoppy couldn't help but admire their leader's thinking.

As they neared the rock caverns, Rainpoppy eased up on her pawsteps, keeping to the shadows of dawn, and moving silently as possible. To her right, Hidinglight was walking just as silently, instinctively clinging to the shadows and remaining hidden with her tortoiseshell pelt. Applesplash, Houndpaw, and Maplerunner, on the other hand, were much louder, seeming oblivious to the way the crackling grass brushed against their fur. Rainpoppy stopped with a sigh, tail lashing irritably.

"Why don't you stay back here in case any of them leave the comfort of their den?" She suggested, forcing herself to hide her agitation. "You can check their scents around this area and find out how far they've ventured. Hidinglight and I will get as close as possible to try and get a better view of the den and its layout."

Applesplash looked irritated at the way Rainpoppy had taken charge, though Houndpaw looked a bit relieved. Clearly, he was feeling just as doubtful about facing coyotes as she thought he was. Maplerunner studied Rainpoppy for a long moment, and her pelt prickled uneasily, aware that, as the youngest warrior in the patrol, she'd made an order to three senior warriors.

She brushed aside her discomfort, steeling herself for any disagreement from the other warriors. _Maplerunner and Hidinglight haven't been warriors much longer than me. I've been a warrior for quite some time now, I think that I'm just as qualified to make these decisions,_ Rainpoppy reasoned. However, aside from a surprised look from Hidinglight, her Clanmates nodded and resigned to their respective places; the three cats skirting the edges of the coyote territory, and Hidinglight keeping close beside Rainpoppy.

She instinctively slowed as they approached the shaded ridge. The dog-like stench of coyote was overwhelming, along with scents of crow-food. Overall, the area was relatively open, offering little opportunity for cover. They would have to move carefully if they wanted to approach undetected.

After a long moment of indecision, Rainpoppy flicked her tail towards the edge of the stone which circled the coyote's "camp" in a claw moon shape, signalling for Hidinglight to follow her, and silently began climbing the ridge. Each step was more intricate than the last, so as not to rain any rocks and stones down into the hollow. Once they reached the top, Rainpoppy peered over to view what made up the coyote's "camp".

What she saw took her breath away. They had assumed that there were only two coyotes; her Clanmates had rarely seen more than one at a time on these expeditions, and had presumed that they were lone beasts. Looking down now, Rainpoppy could clearly see that their assumption had been incredibly flawed. In the hollow shaded by the ridge lay not one, not two, but ten coyotes - five of which were relatively smaller than the last, though still large enough to rip a cat in two.

Hidinglight exchanged a panicked expression with Rainpoppy. She was certain the tortoiseshell shared her thoughts; _how can we ever hope to take on so many coyotes?_ Once again, she recalled images of the blood splattered rocks, Sagefrost's mauled body, and imagined their entire Clan looking that way. Rainpoppy shivered at the thought.

They carefully made their way back down the ridge, steering even further away from the edge than before and refusing to move even a leaf out of place. Once the scents of the coyote's had faded a bit, Rainpoppy allowed herself to relax a fraction, though she remained alert and kept her ears pricked. They remained in troubled silence as they made their way back to where they had parted with Applesplash, Houndpaw, and Maplerunner.

Applesplash was quite some distance away, but she was easy to track down; the former WindClan cat was making little effort to stay silent. Rainpoppy scoffed inwardly. You'd think that Nettlefire would have more sense than to send a former WindClan cat on this expedition, She mused. Applesplash is haughty and arrogant. She's hardly one for stealth.

Houndpaw spotted them first, shooting a grateful glane at them for offering some reprieve of the arrogant ginger cat's ranting. "Did you find anything?" He inquired, bounding over to them. Applesplash let out a huff of irritation at her apprentice. "Honestly, Houndpaw. Sometimes I think you're just hopeless!"

The black apprentice ignored his mentor's criticism, save for a flick of the ears. By this point, he was surely used to it, and it seemed that Applesplash's caution and worry towards her apprentice after his injury had been quick to fade once he returned to normal duties. "Nothing good," Rainpoppy mewed grimly. "We'd better head back right away. Webstar will want to know about this."

"Where's Maplerunner?" Hidinglight inquired, sweeping the area intently. Applesplash sighed. "He thought he caught a trail of them and wandered off. I've been having to go over the basics of tracking with Houndpaw all over again!" She shot her apprentice an annoyed look. Houndpaw fixed his gaze to his paws.

"Is it wise of him to go on his own with these coyotes about?" Rainpoppy demanded, tail lashing. At that, Applesplash's hackles raised, and she fixed the grey warrior with an intense glare. "WindClan cats can hold their own," She growled. "Unlike ThunderClan cats," The ginger she-cat hissed under her breath.

At that, Houndpaw whirled on his mentor, his normally shy demeanor replaced by momentary fury. "What did you just say?" He demanded, unsheathing his claws. Applesplash barely glanced at him, lashing her tail as though he were no more than a bothersome kit.

Rainpoppy narrowed her eyes, and opened her jaws to speak, but before she could say a word, Hidinglight stepped forward. "Rainpoppy's not criticizing Maplerunner's abilities. When we went up the ridge we saw a much bigger problem than we'd anticipated, and it will need to be tackled by many cats working together. Not even the strongest cat would be able to face this threat alone," Hidinglight insisted gently.

Applesplash huffed. "Of course, I forgot. ShadowClan cats know best!" She mewed irritably. Rainpoppy's pelt bristled, but fortunately, the ginger she-cat complied, gesturing with her tail in the direction of camp. "He picked up a trail closer to camp. These beasts have been marking their territory." The WindClan she-cat wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Closer to camp?" Rainpoppy mewed, alarm etching her voice. She exchanged a solemn expression with Hidinglight. "We'd better hurry," She mewed. Rainpoppy picked up to a brisk pace, focusing less on silence and more on following the tabby tom's trail. She was grateful for the lack of undergrowth blocking her way as she raced worryingly close to the camp.

Then she smelled it. The stench of coyote sent her reeling, curling around the rocks just outside the canyons of camp. Rainpoppy's heart sunk with dread. Their territory had been expanded. It would only be a matter of time before the coyotes found a cave full of small, vulnerable prey.

Maplerunner raced towards them from further down the trail, and for a moment, Rainpoppy admired the speed with which the former WindClan tom ran. His eyes were wide with concern but his pelt was undisturbed, indicating that he hadn't crossed the paths of any coyotes.

"It's all around the canyons of camp," He gasped. "The scent is fresh, as if they were here in the last couple of hours." Applesplash bounded over to him, eyes narrowed with concern. "Looks like we won't need to go to them, they'll come to us," The ginger she-cat remarked, unsheathing her claws. She sounded overly eager for the fight.

"We need to _report_ this to Webstar immediately," Rainpoppy mewed. She didn't wait for the others as she raced back towards camp, bursting through the cavern without even bothering for silence. The cats that were awake - Sparrowdawn, Wildheart, and Nettlefire, and Tidewhisper (and her rambunctious kits) let out remarks of surprise at Rainpoppy's abrupt return.

Wildheart bounded over to her with a purr. "Wow! What a hustle!" He exclaimed, eyes bright. Rainpoppy sighed, flicking her tail as if to dismiss the tom. "Not now, Wildheart. This is important," She mewed, padding over to Nettlefire. Hidinglight was short on her heels and exchanged a brief word with Sparrowdawn before joining her. "We need to meet with Webstar immediately. You'd better come too," Rainpoppy mewed grimly, flicking her ears at Nettlefire's expression of amusement. She became aware of how she'd spoken to the deputy; it had almost sounded like an order, but she couldn't bring herself to care. The entire Clan was in danger.

Maplerunner, Hidinglight, Nettlefire, and Rainpoppy made their way to the back of the cave, past the Moonrock, where Webstar's den was located. The uneven striped leader was pacing in front of his den, talking in serious whispers with Butterflysight. When he spotted the group, he ended his conversation abruptly, amber gaze flicking from one cat to the other. His eyes narrowed; clearly, he guessed how serious this was.

"I don't suppose the news is good," Webstar remarked, and Rainpoppy shook her head. "Hidinglight and I tried to get as close as possible to the coyote camp to see what we could find. It's not good, Webstar. I counted ten coyotes."

At that, Maplerunner shot Rainpoppy a look of surprise; this was the first he'd heard it, and he'd even been on the patrol. Nettlefire's eyes flashed with alarm, and Webstar gazed up towards the hole in the cavern, as if praying to StarClan. Butterflysight's expression was solemn with concern.

"About half of them appear to be younger," Hidinglight added, "But they're still old enough to kill a cat." Webstar sighed. "It's worse than we thought," He muttered.

"It gets even worse," Maplerunner added. "I tracked one of their scent lines. It extends from their camp all the way to just outside our canyon. The scents were fresh, as if they'd been marked while we were on patrol."

"Great StarClan," Butterflysight gasped, her eyes as wide as moons. Nettlefire exchanged a serious gaze with Webstar. "What's the plan?"

Webstar appeared thoughtful. "What have we discovered about them so far?" He wondered aloud. "They appear to be relatively inactive during the day," Nettlefire mewed. "Most sightings or trails have been found at night or in the hours of dawn or dusk."

"They travel alone or in groups of two," Webstar added thoughtfully, narrowing his eyes. "If we were to get attacked, it likely wouldn't be from the whole group at once. What else?"

Rainpoppy racked her brain for something she might have seen or sensed during their mission. She went over the rocky ridge, the overwhelming scents of the coyote's "camp", and something else...

"Crowfood," Hidinglight murmured, as if reading her thoughts. "They eat crowfood."

Nettlefire shot Hidinglight an annoyed look. "How does that help?" He asked. The tortoiseshell warrior shuffled her paws, though she held her head high. "We could poison some prey and leave it for the coyotes," She mewed boldly. Rainpoppy's eyes widened. "They had a lot of crowfood in their camp. Maybe they bring it back to their camp like a sort of fresh kill pile?" Rainpoppy reasoned.

Webstar nodded thoughtfully, and glanced at Butterflysight. "Would you be able to do that?" The medicine cat appeared troubled and doubtful at the suggestion. "I haven't found any deathberries here," She confessed. "And I haven't been able to go to the herb place for awhile. I'm not sure I'd be able to find what we need for that plan."

Silence fell upon the group, before Nettlefire spoke. "Even if only one or two coyotes are to make it to camp, that could still be catastrophic. We need to be prepared," He declared, changing the subject. Webstar nodded. "Until this situation is solved, I want one cat on lookout on top of the canyon rock, and two cats guarding the entrance," He ordered. "Training is to be done with all apprentices _and_ warriors to go over fighting techniques against these coyotes. Redwind, Wildheart, and I will lead the training, since we experienced a coyote attack firsthand."

Webstar brought himself to his paws, shooting a knowing look at Rainpoppy. "We need all the paws we can get. Rainpoppy, are you ready for an apprentice?"

Rainpoppy blinked in surprise, and her jaw dropped. "Apprentice? But Newtpool's kits are much too young!" She protested.

Webstar's whiskers twitched with amusement. Understanding dawned on Hidinglight's gaze. "Great StarClan, I hadn't even realized she was that old already," The tortoiseshell mewed, turning to Rainpoppy. "He means Featherkit," Hidinglight informed her.

Rainpoppy glanced towards the direction of the nursery, recalling her first experience with the young kit. She'd been covered head to toe in feathers. Over the past few moons, Rainpoppy had overheard here and there about how Featherkit had lost her sister, Dawn, and how her mother had been missing for quite some time. Her heart had gone out to her; the grey warrior knew what it was like to be left alone without family.

Rainpoppy found herself nodding, and she turned back towards Webstar. "I would be honored to mentor her," She mewed. Webstar dipped his head. "Excellent. Let's go make the announcement - both about the coyotes, and about Featherkit. Hidinglight, would you care to inform Featherkit?" Hidinglight dipped her head respectfully to her leader, padding towards the nursery and disappearing into the shadows.

Rainpoppy felt as if she were walking on air as she made her way back to the main cavern with the rest of the group. Wildheart spotted her almost immediately and bounded over, eyes alight. "You seem to be in a better mood!" He teased. Rainpoppy fixed him with an awestruck stare, unable to stop the excitement from causing her voice to quiver. "I'm getting an apprentice," She mewed. Wildheart's eyes widened. "Woah!" He gasped, "You're so lucky! You'll make a great mentor," He purred encouragingly.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here for a Clan meeting!" Webstar yowled from the high ledge in the cavern. A few heads poked out of the warrior's den, expressions still bleary from sleep. Nettlefire settled at the base of the ledge, looking out upon the Clan.

In the corner of her eye, Rainpoppy saw Featherkit trudging behind Hidinglight into the main cavern, her pelt bristling with nervousness. Doubt cluttered her mind; _Featherkit is awful skittish. How can I train her to be a proper warrior?_ She shook her head against the thoughts. _I'll just have to teach her properly, is all,_ She assured herself.

"As many of you know, I sent a patrol out this morning to scout the coyote territory and see what they could learn. Hidinglight and Rainpoppy discovered that instead of just one or two coyotes, there seems to be a whole pack of them - around ten, is what I was told." Gasps echoed through the clearing, and Wildheart stiffened from beside Rainpoppy. Applesplash's jaw dropped and she whirled around to fix the grey tabby she-cat with an accusatory gaze, but she ignored it, holding her head high. What difference did it make that she'd waited to tell Applesplash about the size of the coyote pack?

"Fortunately, these coyotes rarely seem to venture out in groups bigger than two. The patrol also discovered that they have been marking territory just outside of our canyon. Because of how close they seem to be getting, we will begin instituting additional training on how to fight these beasts, both inside the camp and out, and we will have a lookout and guards posted at the camp entrance. Kits and elders are to remain in the deepest part of the cave, and not to come into the main cavern until this issue is dealt with."

"How are you going to deal with this?" Newtpool demanded, curling her tail around Thunderkit and Quietkit. The pair merely looked excited at the prospect of fighting coyotes. Webstar fixed the queen with an intense amber gaze. "Nettlefire, Butterflysight, Hidinglight and I are working on a method of getting rid of these beasts once and for all. For now, however, every cat is to take every precaution; unless if it is the middle of the day, no cat is to go out alone."

Murmuring echoed throughout the group, and Webstar waved his tail to silence it. "We have some good news, as well. Featherkit, step forward." Rainpoppy watched as the small kit trembled her way through the crowd; clearly, she didn't seem excited to become an apprentice; she seemed terrified. Rainpoppy's heart sank.

"Featherkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you shall be known as Featherpaw. Rainpoppy, you're ready to take an apprentice. I know that you will pass on all of your courage and loyalty that you learned from Quicktuft, and teach this apprentice well." Rainpoppy stepped forward, touching noses with the young apprentice.

"Featherpaw! Featherpaw! Featherpaw! Featherpaw!" The Clan chanted, though Rainpoppy could tell it was halfhearted. Rage burned inside her chest; this kit had lost everything. How dare they still ostracize her?

Featherpaw seemed intimidated by the large group, and shrank away from Rainpoppy a fraction. Rainpoppy forced herself to be understanding of the small cat's skittishness. She had lost her sister (and likely her mom) to coyotes, after all, and her apprentice ceremony was announced immediately after stating the risk of the coyotes. On top of that, Rainpoppy couldn't help but recall how the coyote's scent line had been spotted by the jojoba bush so shortly after Featherpaw was found. She shuddered to think of what might of happened had the young kit not been spotted by Bravepaw.

"Don't worry," Rainpoppy mewed gently. "We'll learn lots of ways to fight those coyotes, so that you don't ever have to worry about being unable to defend yourself." Featherpaw eyed Rainpoppy uncertainly. "Do you promise?" She asked in a small voice. Rainpoppy nodded. "We'll train you to be so strong, that those coyotes will be scared to mess with you," She purred, and the tiny apprentice seemed to relax a bit.

Rainpoppy stood a little taller. _I have nothing to worry about. Once Featherpaw is taught everything that she needs to survive and protect her Clan, she'll gain the confidence she needs_, Rainpoppy reflected, feeling a surge of pride at her new status as a mentor.

* * *

_Here is an updated "Cats of The Clans", updated to this chapter. Cats that are missing are still included where their names would normally be._

_To The MoonClanner: This update includes Tidewhisper's kits. I hope you don't mind that I swapped Shadowkit's gender. _

_Cats Of The Clans_

.

**SunClan**

**Leader-**

Webstar- White tom with uneven black stripes (S)

**Deputy-**

Nettlefire- Light grey tom with long pointed, disheveled fur (S)

**Medicine Cat-**

Butterflysight- Grey-blue she-cat with silver tipped ears and paws, and light brown eyes (S)

**Warriors-**

Finchberry- She-cat with short cream-brown fur (W)

Turtlespot- Dark brown tom with lighter brown spots (T)

Dewthistle- White-grey she-cat with a silver muzzle and paws (W)

Applesplash- Ginger and white she-cat with blue eyes (W)

Quailfoot- Black and white tom (W)

Grassdaze- Black she-cat with stunning green eyes (S)

Adderspring- Ginger tabby tom with amber eyes (T)

Sparrowdawn- Mostly white tom with few brown tabby patches (S)

Hidinglight- Tortoiseshell she-cat with a crooked, shortened tail and a peach colored hind leg (S)

Maplerunner- Light brown tabby tom (W)

Rainpoppy- Dark grey tabby she-cat (S)

Blackbreeze- Black she-cat with golden eyes (W)

Redwind- Reddish brown tabby tom (T)

Wildheart- Dark grey tom with green eyes and white tipped ears (S)

**Apprentices-**

Riverpaw- Grey she-cat with a white tipped tail and paws, and stunning blue eyes (Apprentice to Finchberry) (R)

Bravepaw- Long furred cream and white tom with green eyes (Apprentice to Maplerunner) (S)

Houndpaw- Black tom with a white tuft on his chest (Apprentice to Applesplash) (T)

Featherpaw- Reddish brown she-cat with a fluffy tail, formerly known as Dusk (Apprentice to Rainpoppy)

**Queens-**

Tidewhisper- Silver she-cat with copper eyes and blue-grey spots. Claims to have a connection to the moon. (Mother of Shadowkit, a black tom kit; Nightkit, a small black tom-kit; Foggykit, a white and black tom kit with a black spot that looks similar to a tree on his back; Hollykit, a black she-kit; And Echokit, a black she-kit with a silver underbelly and muzzle, and spiky fur at the top of her head)

Newtpool- Reddish-brown she-cat with dark spots (mother of Thunderkit, a brown she-kit with a white muzzle, and Quietkit, a spotted silver tom) (T)

**Elders-**

Rubblestorm- Brown tabby tom with a white muzzle (W)

**Cats Outside The Clans**

**Loners-**

Creek- Grey tom with dark and lighter brown stripes, yellow eyes, and long whiskers


	10. Chapter 10

_I'm sorry I haven't updated much this week. I was feeling rather uninspired. However, I believe I'll be updating again very shortly._

_This chapter... Well, I'll let you guys read it yourselves._

_Shout out to Kesteralflight for the idea to have Riverpaw's POV this chapter. It evolved into the glorious chapter that it is._

_Friendly reminder that Riverpaw's name was intially Fidgetkit before she was renamed Riverkit in honor of her Clan._

_TRIGGER WARNING: VIOLENCE_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

Riverpaw purred, studying the reddish tom from afar as he instructed the other cats about the coyotes. Her tail tip curled in excitement. H_e's got a lot of potential. He takes to leadership naturally. _He_ should have been the one to get an apprentice, not Rainpoppy._

And yet, it seemed that Webstar and Nettlefire revered the former ShadowClan she-cat. Her purr caught in her throat at the thought of the dark grey tabby she-cat. A memory swam to the surface, unbid from the depths of her mind.

_"Bravekit and Hidinglight are gone!" Fidgetkit yowled, voice trembling with pain and worry as she raced back from the nursery. Smokekit's breathing was shallow and ragged, and he could no longer lift his head. Halfmoon had ordered her to find the pair; Hidinglight was like a mother to them, after all. _

_Halfmoon looked up in surprise at the announcement as Fidgetkit burst into the medicine den. Butterflykit sat curled against Smokekit, staring at the sickly grey and white kit with a sorrowful gaze. The white medicine cat's gaze darkened, and she padded over to Fidgetkit, standing in front of her brother as if to block the blue-grey kit's view. "Fidgetkit, I'm sorry... he's gone." The gentle she-cat mewed. _

_Fidgetkit tensed. It felt as if time stopped, and the den grew so quiet that she could hear her own heartbeat. "What?" She squeaked, voice breaking. She stumbled backwards, and as she did so, her brother's weary body came into vision. His chest was still. She hadn't been there for him. _

_Images flashed through her mind. Raydawn taking her last breath. Sunnykit. And Bravekit, her best friend - where was he? A lump rose in Fidgetkit's throat. "He can't be gone," She mewed hoarsely. Her brother and her - they were in it together. The last of RiverClan._

_Since he was gone, what did that mean for her?_

_Barely aware of her own movement, Fidgetkit turned and raced out of the medicine den, the scenery around her blurring with tears. She could have gone on like that for hours, but a solid grey mass stopped her, and she crashed into Rainpaw._

_"Watch it!" The apprentice hissed, fur bristling. "I've got to talk to Halfmoon. Eagletail has Cold Paw." The grey tabby's voice was cold and desolate. Fidgetkit's mind spun. "Hidinglight and Bravekit are missing," She blurted out, "Smokekit's dead." Her voice broke at the mention of her brother's name._

_Rainpaw recoiled as if stung, and her eyes narrowed, flashing with fury. After several long moments, the grey tabby lashed her tail. "Well, what did you expect?!" She hissed. "You two brought that illness into our camp! Of course one of you was bound to have it!"_

_Fidgetkit trembled at the words, her mind empty with shock. Was that truly how ShadowClan viewed them? Burdens that brought pain and illness? She remembered how Raydawn had snapped on them after they found out Sunnykit was sick. The ginger she-cat hadn't been the same towards them since then, even up until the moment of her death._

_"We didn't - Smokekit didn't-" She started, but the words caught in her throat, and Rainpaw padded away with a huff. Fidgetkit sunk to the ground, unable to hold in the pain anymore, and stared up at the dappled tree cover as if it held the reasons why all of this was happening._

Riverpaw's breathing quickened as she forced herself back to the present. She looked around the clearing, trying to distract herself from the painful memories. A flash of silver and black caught her eye, and Riverpaw's whiskers twitched at the sight of a small kit creeping through the shadows at the edge of the clearing.

The blue-grey she-cat padded silently over to Echokit, sneaking up behind her. "You're a rebellious one, aren't you?" She mewed once she was close enough to the kit. Echokit jumped, whirling around with wide, guilty eyes. Riverpaw's whiskers twitched. "I was just - I need to -" Echokit stammered, and she waved her tail to silence the kit. "No worries. I love a little adventure. Where were you wanting to go?"

Echokit studied the blue-grey she-cat suspiciously for a moment, before turning to face the entrance, a distant look in her eyes. "I've got to follow Moon!" She insisted. Riverpaw tilted her head, at once reminded that this kit was Tidewhisper's kit. She'd probably inherited some of the queen's oddness.

"Oh no you don't," A growl sounded behind Riverpaw, and she jumped as Nettlefire came into view. He ignored the apprentice, fixing his daughter with a scolding gaze. "Echokit, you know that kits aren't supposed to leave camp," Nettlefire growled. Echokit stared at her father with eyes wide with dismay. "But - but-" She started, only to be silenced as Nettlefire licked the spiky tuft of fur on the kits head, before scooping her up by the scruff.

"I've got to follow Moon!" Echokit wailed again, squirming against her captor as she was dragged back towards the nursery. Her father's hushed words were muffled by fur, and the blue-grey apprentice was unable to make out what he said. Riverpaw shook her head, puzzling over the odd kit. Sure, it was dark in the caverns, but surely Echokit knew it was mid-day?

Applesplash, Houndpaw, and Turtlespot entered the main cavern, carrying fat rabbits in each of their jaws. Houndpaw appeared to be glowing with pride, and Riverpaw purred as she bounded over to them. "Congrats, Houndpaw! You seem to be adjusting well!" She purred, keeping pace with the group as they brought the prey to the fresh-kill pile. Houndpaw shuffled his paws sheepishly, his eyes brightening at the praise. "Thanks, Riverpaw. Though, this rabbit was so fat that he made it easy for me to catch up to him." He mewed jokingly, prodding at the fat rabbit.

Applesplash was irritated, as usual, and she paid Riverpaw little mind. "Rainpoppy didn't say a word about the coyote camp to me or Maplerunner on the patrol. She went straight to Nettlefire and Webstar - it was as if they didn't trust us non-ShadowClan cats with the information about our own Clan!"

Turtlespot grunted in agreement. "And he gave her an apprentice. There are many more eligible, senior warriors capable of mentoring."

Riverpaw padded alongside the warriors, chiming into the conversation. "It's unfair how they just disregard all of us! We've got a ShadowClan leader, a ShadowClan deputy who didn't even have a real apprentice, and a ShadowClan medicine cat, but the bulk of SunClan is made up by WindClan and ThunderClan cats. Sometimes it even seems like they want to erase our traditions!" She spat angrily.

Applesplash shot the apprentice a look of approval. "They insist on making us hunt at night," She agreed. Turtlespot nodded thoughtfully. "It seems most of ThunderClan hunting traditions have vanished with the formation of this new Clan."

"And Bravepaw and I got punished for finding an area full of prey!"

"I'm getting very tired of ShadowClan arrogance, always thinking they know best," Applesplash announced, tail lashing.

For the first time, Riverpaw noticed that Houndpaw was silent, his eyes fixed on his paws. She nudged him gently, staring at him with her river-blue eyes. "What do you think, Houndpaw?" Riverpaw coaxed. He avoided her eyes, staring out among the camp as if he wished to be anywhere else but there. "I don't remember much about ThunderClan," He confessed after a moment. "Although it has been hard to adjust to the several different hunting methods - leaping and climbing at night for the kangaroo rats, running quickly to catch rabbits, or even trying to catch prey in the water - it feels like it doesn't really come naturally."

Turtlespot touched Houndpaw with his tail. "I believe many of us are feeling that way," He mewed gently. "It's especially hard since we lost Sagefrost; I feel that she held many of us together." Houndpaw raised his eyes to shoot an indiscernible look towards his mentor, who was looking away, as if pretending she hadn't heard the exchange. Riverpaw studied him curiously - was that a flash of rage in the meek tom's eyes?

"There you are," Webstar mewed, padding over to them. "Houndpaw, Riverpaw, I want you two to practice training some more with Wildheart. We never know when we might need it," The black striped leader ordered. Riverpaw dipped her head to the leader, looking at him innocently. "Yes Webstar!" She chirped, padding over to Wildheart and his training group energetically.

As she did so, she noticed that Houndpaw hung back for a moment, trudging along unenthusiastically - that is, until his eyes swept towards the group, settling on some point past Riverpaw. His eyes lit up as brightly as the starry sky, and Riverpaw turned to find the source of his excitement. Houndpaw dashed past her and ran over to Butterflysight, who was sitting with the group, his tail raised in greeting. She was too far to hear what they were saying, but the way Butterflysight was staring at her made her pelt prickle with discomfort.

A flash of guilt swept across her mind. _Does she blame me for what happened with Bravepaw?_ She shook her head. _No. No cat could have known what he was going to do._ Riverpaw swallowed past a lump in her throat as she recalled how Butterflysight had come racing into camp with news of what she'd witnessed. Hidinglight had nearly collapsed, and Riverpaw had felt something heavy sink in her heart like a stone that hadn't quite left her since.

* * *

A small rabbit burrowed into her side, prodding at her as if it didn't realize she were a cat. Riverpaw flicked her ears, twitching in her nest and hoping the movement would scare the prey away. It didn't. If anything, the small rabbit seemed to materialize into two, and whispers rose to the blue-grey cat's attention.

"Is she dead?"

"No, you mouse-brain! She's sleeping! We've gotta wake her up!"

_That_ got Riverpaw's attention. Since when did rabbits speak cat? She opened her river-blue eyes, waiting a moment as they adjusted to the light, just in time to see two dark bundles of fur racing at her from a fox length away. She rolled out of their way just in time, and they let out little squeaks of surprise as they crashed into a fluffy heap in her nest.

Riverpaw stood, stretching her legs as she studied the two kits. She recognized one as Echokit by the spiky fur on her head, and the other was the black she-kit, Hollykit. "Hi!" She mewed quietly to the kits, so as not to wake up Featherpaw. Echokit and Hollykit scrambled to their paws, eyes alight and hopeful.

"Riverpaw, please help me follow Moon!" Echokit pleaded. "It's really important, and Nettlefire won't let me leave camp!"

"Echokit's gonna show me how to talk to StarClan like she does so I can be a medicine cat!" Hollykit chimed in excitedly, tail waving. "We're on a mission!"

Riverpaw purred at the kits, though their words confused her. "You two are a bit young to be such rebels!" She joked. "Where are you planning to go this late at night?"

Echokit stared at Riverpaw as if she were mouse-brained. "I told you, I have to follow Moon!" She squeaked. The blue-grey apprentice mulled this over for a moment. On one hand, she'd already gotten in trouble for going out at night, and Webstar had explicitly forbidden kits from even leaving the nursery.

On the other hand, what better way to get back at Nettlefire than by helping his kits go on a little adventure? They would try escaping with or without Riverpaw's help, and at least if she came with, she'd be able to keep an eye on them and make sure they were safe.

Riverpaw nodded. "Alright, lets go," She mewed, eliciting a sigh of relief from Echokit. "But there's no way that you'll be able to get out with those three cats on watch. I'll have to distract them," She added thoughtfully, the beginnings of a plan forming in her mind. "Stay close, but keep silent and to the shadows. Let me handle the night guards."

The two kits nodded obediently with wide eyes, staring at her as if she had all the answers. She padded silently out of the apprentice's den, letting the scents of the camp wash over her. If she remembered correctly, it was Wildheart and Adderspring guarding the entrance for the night. The young grey warrior was bound to be exhausted after training the other cats all day. He'd look for any opportunity to get some shut eye. And Adderspring was a ThunderClan cat at heart; he enjoyed sleeping at night just like any other non-ShadowClan cat. _Just another way our leaders are letting the camp down_, Riverpaw reflected.

She signaled with her tail for the two kits to stay back, clearing her throat as she approached the camp entrance. Wildheart jumped at the sound, clearly having begun to doze off. Riverpaw purred, ignoring the younger warrior for a moment to fix Adderspring with an intense river-blue gaze.

"Hello," She greeted as the ginger tabby tom eyed her suspiciously. "Nettlefire told me to take over for you. He got your shifts mixed up, and has you on Dawn Patrol tomorrow. He didn't want you to have to do two shifts in a row," Riverpaw lied smoothly, staring at him with trusting river blue eyes.

Adderspring blinked slowly at the she-cat. "An apprentice?" He asked doubtfully. Riverpaw nodded. "He said it'd be good experience for me." Adderspring's amber eyes burned with both doubt and hope. Eventually, his gaze softened and the latter won over, and he lazily brought himself to his paws. "About time," He mewed, shooting an apologetic glance towards a distraught looking Wildheart. "If you'd told me any later, I'd have hardly had any time to get back to sleep," Adderspring continued as he padded away into the darkness of the canyon.

Riverpaw settled in beside Wildheart, maintaining a solemn silence for several long moments. When she sensed the dark grey tom beginning to slip again into his exhaustion, she gently nudged him. "You know, Wildheart, you're about falling asleep on your paws. If you like, I can stay on watch myself. I feel wide awake tonight, and I won't tell anyone."

Wildheart ducked his head in embarrassment. "No, I'm a warrior now. If I can't stand guard, what kind of SunClan cat am I?" He mewed stubbornly, though clearly more to himself than Riverpaw. The grey-blue she-cat shrugged. "You're only one cat, Wildheart. But suit yourself," Riverpaw mewed, staring out at the starry, dark landscape. "You know, I remember Rainpoppy mentioning how she really wished you weren't doing the night guard tonight. She's had a long day and really wanted you by her side," She mewed casually after several moments.

That got his attention. "She did? Did she specifically mention me?" Wildheart demanded, suddenly seeming wide awake. Riverpaw purred, cuffing the young warrior over the ear. "Of course. Why would I lie?"

Wildheart fell silent, churning his claws against the stone, as if fighting some internal battle. "Would you really do that for me?" He asked finally, turning towards her with wide, hopeful green eyes. Riverpaw nodded. "Of course! I wouldn't want my friend to be so overworked. You know, all of that training with Finchberry has helped me to be quite fast. If anything were to happen, you'd be the first I'd wake up," She mewed. This seemed to reassure the tom, and he rose to his paws, pacing a few steps. "Alright," He said finally, "But you call me at the first sign of anything happening!"

"Will do," Riverpaw promised, brushing against the young warrior with her tail. "Now go get some rest. You deserve it," She insisted, meaning every word.

As Wildheart padded eagerly into the darkness, silence fell, thick as a cloud around Riverpaw. She gazed out at the river from the entrance, memories swirling behind her eyes; watching the sunrise with Bravepaw, and his promise to get her the prettiest rock from the bottom of the river.

The heaviness in her heart thickened as she imagined the shining river she loved so much as it took her best friend's life. _It's all my fault_, came an internal voice before she could stop it. Her head spun and her eyes glistened. It seemed all the stars in the sky were looking down on her in contempt.

"That was so cool!" Came a tiny squeak, shaking Riverpaw out of her thoughts as Hollykit materialized from the shadows. Her green eyes were wide with excitement. Echokit padded behind her, seeming much more solemn about the situation; her small blue gaze was focused intently outside the camp, as if seeing things no one else could. _What an odd kit_, Riverpaw reflected.

"How did you convince both of them to leave?" Hollykit demanded, voice tinted with awe. Riverpaw purred, playfully cuffing the dark kit's ears. "It's the RiverClan charm," She mewed with certainty. "Now lets get going before any other cats hear us."

Echokit padded forward without hesitation, paws instinctively avoiding dips in the stone, as if the young silver and black kit already knew her way around the darkened landscape by heart. Riverpaw stared at the kit with a trickle of unease. She seemed to be following a path only she could see.

"Wait up, Echokit! You've got to tell me more about the StarClan cats!" Hollykit squeaked, bounding after her sister. Riverpaw fell in line behind the kits, keeping her ears perked and her eyes alert. "Don't go too far from me," She instructed gently. "And make sure to listen if I tell you something. Remember, you're not warriors yet."

Hollykit stared back at her with wide green eyes. "I'm not gonna be a warrior! I'm gonna be a medicine cat, just like Butterflysight!" She mewed proudly, puffing out her chest. Riverpaw purred. "Even more reason to listen to me then," She mewed, "We've got to keep our future medicine cat safe!"

Hollykit nodded obediently, her tail perked up in excitement. Echokit, however, seemed to scarcely hear her, weaving around bushes and rocks that even Riverpaw hadn't sensed yet.

She did sense one thing, however. The feeling of eyes boring into the back of her pelt, and the quiet swish of grasses as something approached. Riverpaw tensed, unsheathing her claws. "Kits! Hide, now!" She hissed quietly. To her dismay, Echokit was nowhere in sight, but she spotted Hollykit's dark bushy tail as she vanished in the cracks of stone.

Rather than the overwhelming stench of coyote, however, Riverpaw scented something that was comfortingly familiar. She forced her pelt to lie flat, locating where he was sitting by his scent. "Redwind, is that you?" Riverpaw called, praying that the tom hadn't seen or heard the kits.

Redwind appeared from the grasses behind her, studying the she-cat. "Oh, it's you. Riverpaw, what are you doing out by yourself so late?" He mewed, sitting back on his haunches. "I thought I heard something from on top of the cavern."

Riverpaw brushed affectionately against the tom, staring at him with her river-blue eyes. "Aw, you were worried about me!" She teased, keeping her voice level. Redwind snorted. "I didn't even realize it _was_ you," He mewed. "I thought that maybe it was another coyote..."

Riverpaw widened her eyes in a pout. "You _weren't_ worried about me?" She mewed in dismay. Redwind shuffled his paws in embarrassment, sheepishly avoiding her gaze. "I didn't say I wasn't-" He stammered, before shaking his head. "Why are you out here alone?" He asked again, fixing her with an intense stare. "It's not safe." Riverpaw searched his warm brown gaze, finding no suspicion there, only concern.

"You _are_ worried about me," She teased. "It felt so stuffy and dark in the apprentices den. I know I should have told somebody, but I really needed some air," Riverpaw added before he could protest. "I thought I'd do some night hunting. I need to move my muscles." Redwind shuffled his paws. "I could come with, if you like," He offered quietly. Riverpaw erupted into a purr, nuzzling the reddish tom's side. "I appreciate the thought. I really think I need some time alone, though," She insisted, gazing at him with trusting blue eyes.

Redwind looked swayed, but unconvinced. "What if something happens?" He asked, studying the landscape as if he expected a coyote to jump out at any moment. Riverpaw rolled her eyes. "Please, Redwind. Don't you think I know how to hold my own by now?"

That was the wrong thing to say. The reddish tom's gaze darkened, and he stared out in the direction of Snakerocks, where the coyote attack had occurred. "Sagefrost knew how to hold her own, too. So did Grassdaze," He mewed quietly, muscles tensed.

"And I'll be able to scent the coyotes from a mile away," Riverpaw mewed stubbornly. "You guys were swarmed with the scent of prey. I'm only going to be catching one or two pieces of fresh kill, and I won't be going far."

Redwind sighed, studying the apprentice. "Alright. Please be careful," He conceded. Riverpaw purred, curling her tail around his. "I won't be gone long," She promised. Redwind dipped his head before gazing back in the direction of camp. "I'd better go back to my watch," He mewed, shooting the apprentice one last longing look before padding away.

When the reddish tom faded from sight, Riverpaw felt the blood flood back into her body and she allowed herself to relax. "Great StarClan, that was close. Echokit, Hollykit, you two can come out now," She mewed, turning back towards where she had seen the kits disappear. Nothing but silence greeted her. Dread dropped into her paws, and she tasted the air, to see if she could scent them.

Even their scents were stale.

Riverpaw forced herself not to panic over the thought of having lost the deputy's two daughters. As much as she criticized him, she didn't want any harm to come to the kits. They couldn't help who they were born to, after all. She pressed her nose to the ground where Hollykit had disappeared, keeping her jaws open to track the scent. It disappeared into the cracks of the stone, but reappeared a fox length or so away, alongside Echokit's scent, to Riverpaw's relief.

The ground beneath her paws leveled out to a dry, sandy area with little shade or protection. As she tracked the two kits scents, she silently cursed herself for letting them wander out of sight. She'd hoped they would listen, but clearly Echokit's urge to follow the moon and Hollykit's excitement had outweighed her orders.

Fortunately, their scents were becoming less faint, though Riverpaw's pelt bristled as she picked up another scent, strong and bitter. It was unlike anything she'd ever scented. She gazed around the landscape, fur standing on end; she'd never been in this area of the territory before.

Were they by the coyote's camp?

The bitter scent became so strong, it overwhelmed every other nearby scent. "Hollykit! Echokit!" Riverpaw hissed again, desperately hoping she'd catch sight of the kits before anything else did. To her relief, a small voice called out from the other side of a small dip in the earth. "We're over here, Riverpaw!"

Riverpaw bounded over towards Hollykit's voice, coming to an abrupt stop as she crested the dip. The earth in front of her was covered with many vine-like plants. Like white, flowy stars, beautiful flowers with five points were open, almost seeming to glow in the moonlight.

Echokit sat in front of the vine plants, staring at them intently. At the sight of the apprentice, Hollykit bounded over, her kit fluff bushed up uneasily. "She kept going when you told us to hide!" Hollykit squeaked. "She hasn't moved or said anything since we got here!"

Riverpaw padded over to the black and silver kit, her spine prickling uneasily. "You okay, Echokit?" She asked. As if the apprentice's voice broke the spell, Echokit turned her head towards Riverpaw, her eyes alight with awe. "These are Moonflowers," Echokit whispered.

_Moonflowers?_ Riverpaw was certain she'd never heard of such an herb, and she'd definitely never seen Butterflysight use them. She opened her jaws to speak, but the small kit continued, turning her gaze back towards the stunning flowers. "They only flower at night," Echokit mewed, sounding wiser than her age.

Riverpaw stared at the kit with wide blue eyes. "How do you know?" She blurted out. Echokit appeared surprised at the question. "Moon told me," She mewed, as if the answer were obvious. "We need to bring these flowers to camp. Butterflysight needs them."

The bitter scent of the flower bed was overwhelming, and Riverpaw sank to her haunches to try and gather herself despite the sudden dizziness. She recalled Hollykit saying something about StarClan cats. Was Echokit being visited by StarClan cats? Had they sent her a vision?

Riverpaw suddenly felt very small in the presence of the seemingly wise kit.

"I'll grab them!" Hollykit squeaked excitedly, leaping into the flower bed and attacking several of the flowers with her claws. She managed to grasp two or three in her jaws and wrinkled her nose as she approached the small group. "Yuck!" Hollykit mewed, her voice muffled. The kit set the flowers down, rasping her tongue over her teeth in disgust. "I wonder what they do?" She mewed curiously, as if suddenly forgetting the bitter taste.

Echokit said nothing, gently grasping one of the flowers closest to her. Then, she turned expectantly towards Riverpaw, as if to say, "Lead the way."

Riverpaw shakily rose to her paws, her breathing feeling thick and heavy with the bitter stench. Hollykit and Echokit seemed unbothered, however, and the apprentice forced herself forward, simply glad to be away from the awful smelling flowers.

Silence fell upon the group as they headed back to camp, and the further away from the flowers they got, the easier Riverpaw's breathing became. However, the way back to camp seemed much further than it had been initially, and Riverpaw began to feel more and more exposed the longer they walked.

By the time the canyon rock came into view, Riverpaw felt a sigh of relief make its way through her chest. The kits seemed to feel a sense of urgency as well, for they picked up pace, keeping stride with the apprentice as she came upon the camp entrance.

Perhaps it was the scent of the flowers still lingering to her fur, or perhaps it was weariness finally catching up to her, but it wasn't until she approached the camp entrance that her pelt prickled, and she was abruptly overwhelmed by the scent of blood.

Something was wrong. The camp was too silent, and everything was tinted with the stench of blood and coyote.

She shot a worried glance towards the kits, but they didn't seem to notice what she had; their gazes were fixed to their paws. _It's the flowers,_ Riverpaw realized. _They can't smell anything around its bitterness._ Her heart sunk with dread at the thought of what they might be about to see.

"Stay here," Riverpaw ordered, signalling for the kits to hide in a crevice just outside of the camp. Once she was sure they were safe, she dashed into the camp, barely letting time for her eyes to adjust to the light.

She didn't have to go far; inside the canyon she was overwhelmed by what felt like a wall of blood scent. Tufts of fur were strewn across the cavern, the fresh kill pile was demolished, and blood seemed to soak every tail length of the cavern floor. Something between a wail and a shriek escaped her jaws. Mauled bodies of her Clanmates lay before her, their expressions contorted in the fight they had died in.

Applesplash lay with her belly split outward, scarcely clinging to her spine. Hidinglight's face was unrecognizable, curled beside a bloodied lump that could only be Sparrowdawn near the nursery entrance. Wildheart lay near the camp entrance, his throat torn out. A tiny pile of reddish fur moaned from a dark corner of the cavern, and Riverpaw jumped as she spotted Featherpaw, missing her hind legs.

A cough echoed to her left, and Riverpaw swerved her gaze towards the reddish tom that she had seen last. "They came while you were gone," Redwind mewed hoarsely, a gaping wound in his throat pooling blood at his paws. "There was nobody protecting the camp. I couldn't do it all myself," He coughed.

Riverpaw shook her head in horror, a wail of pain escaping her body. _What have I done? Great StarClan, what have I done?!_


	11. Chapter 11

_Hello friends. This chapter is incredibly short; it was going to be part of a larger chapter, but I really didn't want to keep you guys waiting with such a major cliffhanger._

_Enjoy the temporary update, and I should have a full chapter out by tuesday!_

**Chapter 11**

Butterflysight was pulled out of her empty dreams by the horrifying sound of a cat screaming. She was instantly alert, her fur standing on end as she listened to the wails of horror. It was eerily reminiscent of the wailing that had awoken her as a kit, when Raydawn discovered that Sunnykit had Cold Paw. A chill traveled down her spine, and she raced out of her den.

Tidewhisper was peering out of the nursery with eyes dull from sleep, but her spine bristled. "What's happening? Is it the coyotes?" She asked, blinking towards the sound. Butterflysight held the same fears, though she tried her best to comfort the tiny queen. "I think there'd be a lot more noise if it was," She reassured gently.

Butterflysight warily raced to the clearing, where several other cats were already awake and alert. Hidinglight and Sparrowdawn were standing protectively in front of the entrance to the deeper parts of the cave, Featherpaw was closer to the entrance, her eyes as wide as moons.

Riverpaw stood near the camp entrance, staring upon the camp as if she'd seen a ghost. The eerie wailing was coming from her. Featherpaw was awkwardly trying to talk to the apprentice, but it was as if Riverpaw couldn't hear her.

Wildheart raced over to Butterflysight when he spotted her, his dark grey fur bristling. "Butterflysight, come quick. Something's wrong with her!" He mewed, his voice etched with fear. The medicine cat raced to the apprentice's side. "Riverpaw, I'm here. What's wrong?" She demanded, but the grey-blue she-cats eyes remained glazed over, not seeing her. Dread sunk to Butterflysight's paws.

"Riverpaw, what happened?" Wildheart pleaded. He reached out with his tail to touch the apprentice, and she leapt back, hissing and spitting. Her fur was bushed out to twice her size. Wildheart brushed towards her once more, but recieved a claw to the face in response. The dark grey tom let out a grunt as he stumbled back, blood splattered onto the stone floor.

"Riverpaw!" Butterflysight hissed, leaping protectively in front of her brother. Riverpaw's eyes were wild and unfocused. "Stay back!" She wailed, voice quivering. "You won't get me too!" Her claws were unsheathed, braced against the stone surface. Butterflysight turned to the nearest cat - Applesplash. "I need poppy seeds, now!" She ordered, and the ginger she-cat disappeared without a word.

"Butterflysight!" A panicked mew echoed from the camp entrance, and Redwind raced into the camp, eyes wide and fur bristling. "I think you should come out here!"

Butterflysight scarcely had time to wonder what else could be going wrong when Nettlefire and Tidewhisper went racing past her. She shot a glance of dismay towards Riverpaw, who was still looking around wildly, unrecognizing of her Clanmates around her. As if summoned, Applesplash returned, a leaf full of poppyseeds in her jaws.

Butterflysight stifled a sigh of relief and gratefully grasped a few precious seeds in her paw. "Hold her," The medicine cat instructed, and Applesplash nodded, holding the agitated she-cat down with all of her weight. Riverpaw let out a screech of fear, thrashing against her captor with claws unsheathed. Wildheart, seeming to have recovered from his shock, leapt to Riverpaw's other side, aiding the warrior.

Butterflysight proud her paw to Riverpaw's muzzle, forcing the seeds into her mouth, and then holding the she-cat's jaws shut while she struggled. After several moments, the blue-grey apprentice's movements slowed, and her agitation was replaced by a sleepy confusion, small sparks of recognition lighting her blue eyes as she met Butterflysight's gaze.

"Butterflysight, it's all my fault," Riverpaw moaned, crumpling to the floor. "Wildheart, Featherpaw, everyone, all because of me," She whimpered, sinking into a deep sleep.

"Butterflysight, Hollykit's shaking and not waking up!" Tidewhisper shrieked. The normally calm queen's copper eyes were wide with panic. Butterflysight scarcely had time to wonder why Hollykit would be outside the camp in the first place as she followed the panicked she-cat just outside of the camp entrance.

Hollykit was twitching in a tiny heap, eyes glazed over and foam dripping from her mouth. Scattered petals of large, white flowers that Butterflysight had never seen before lay around the tiny kit.

Next to the kit stood Echokit, her eyes wide and her pelt quivering as she stared at her sister in horror. "I need yarrow!" Butterflysight gasped to whoever would listen, pushing the seizing kit onto her side so as not to choke on her own spit. She pulled Hollykit away from the flowers, shooting a serious look to Echokit. "Echokit, these flowers, what are they?" Butterflysight demanded. "Did Hollykit eat some?"

Echokit stared up at the medicine cat with frightened blue eyes. "Mok ploff cavay etu," She squeaked unintelligibly. Butterflysight blinked, pelt bristling as she whirled towards Nettlefire as Redwind passed her the yarrow she'd requested. "Did you understand her?" She demanded as she began chewing up the yarrow leaves and putting them into Hollykit's mouth, stroking the tiny kit's throat to get her to swallow. Frightened, Nettlefire merely shook his head.

Hollykit's belly violently convulsed, eliciting a gooey green substance tinted with tiny pieces of white petals. Butterflysight gently held the kit on her side, keeping her from breathing in the vomit. Tidewhisper hung close by. "Will she be alright?" She mewed, voice quivering as the tiny kit fell still, having expelled all of the poison.

Butterflysight turned towards the tiny queen to respond, but before she could say a word, she saw Echokit's eyes roll back into her head, and the black-silver kit collapsed. "Echokit? Echokit!" Nettlefire yelled, racing to her side to soften her fall. The medicine cat was already working on chewing a new poultice for the unresponsive kit to swallow. "Hold her still," Butterflysight instructed as she eased the poultice into Echokit's mouth, just as she had done for Hollykit.

Long painful moments went by as half of the group anxiously waited for Echokit to vomit the poison, while the other half remained attentive to Hollykit, trying to make sure she was still breathing. Echokit's belly tensed and the tiny kit started convulsing, vomiting only a little bit of the green liquid. Once she was sure that was all, Butterflysight pressed her ears against the small kit's chest, letting out a sigh of relief at the steady beat of Echokit's heart, and the strong, unwavering breaths.

"I think she'll be alright," Butterflysight announced trying to keep her voice steady. Tidewhisper fixed her with a hopeful copper gaze. "And Hollykit?" The tiny queen mewed, voice barely a whisper.

Butterflysight turned her gaze towards the small black she-kit, her belly barely moving with her shallow breathing. She didn't have to listen to Hollykit's chest to know that her heartbeat was faint. "Her fate is in StarClan's paws now," She whispered.

"What is this flower?" Nettlefire demanded, his pelt bristling with rage and worry. "Did it do this to them? And how did they even get out of camp to get them?!" He whirled on Redwind, eyes burning with rage. "I ordered you to keep watch!" He yowled.

Redwind backed away, ears flat against his head. "I didn't see them," He whispered. "I only saw Riverpaw going out hunting-"

Tidewhisper's eyes widened. "Did she-?" She began, trailing off with the suggestion left unspoken.

Butterflysight eyed the several remaining flowers and petals, strewn haphazardly across the stone. She recalled how Echokit had been sneaking into the main cavern earlier in the day, and spoke with Riverpaw before Nettlefire brought the kit back to the nursery.

"I've never seen these flowers before," Butterflysight interjected. "I doubt Riverpaw would know how dangerous they were. I find it more likely that Echokit and Hollykit wanted to go explore outside the camp, and Riverpaw helped them, for whatever reason." She recalled the apprentice's panicked behavior inside the cavern, appearing confused and disassociated with reality. "I think that's why she was acting weird too," She surmised, "Though I can't imagine that Riverpaw would go around eating strange herbs. Which means that even being close to these flowers was enough to send her mind out of touch with reality."

"We need to locate where these flowers were and warn the Clan!" Nettlefire announced, spine bristling. "Hollykit could die because of this!" Tidewhisper winced at the words, but Butterflysight's mind was spinning. She turned towards the pair, light brown eyes serious. "I will do everything I can to save your kits," Butterflysight vowed. "But I think we've figured out how to deal with the coyotes, too."

Nettlefire's jaw dropped, speechless at the suggestion during such a serious incident. Tidewhisper's brow was furrowed as she gazed at her unconscious kits, curling her body around them as if her scent alone could bring them back.

Butterflysight turned away from the group, gazing at the muddled pile of white flowers and petals, certainty forming in her mind as bright as the sun.

"We'll feed the coyotes the Deathflowers."


	12. Chapter 12

**EEK! **_Sorry guys. I know I said tuesday, but it wasn't done yet and I didn't want to rush another chapter._

_To The MoonClanner: Sorry for the delay in introducing your character. I thought it would occur sooner but there were some things I wanted to accomplish first in the story. I don't think Nettlefire will want to announce the whole situation to the Clan, because much of the Clan doubted whether Bubble was truly being guided by StarClan. Even though she led them to their new home, many Clan members didn't and don't quite trust the strange she-cat, and Nettlefire wouldn't want to call much attention to that, mostly because, as a normal cat, he himself doesn't know what to make of it. _

* * *

**Chapter 12**

Butterflysight grasped the deadly white flowers with her paws, stuffing them deep into the throat of a rabbit. She was careful to avoid breathing in too deeply or closely, though she knew the biggest danger came with eating them.

Riverpaw had woken up that morning, seemingly traumatized from what the Deathflowers had caused her to see. It had taken a while to convince her that the Clan had not, in fact, been attacked by coyotes. The grey medicine cat paused, her paw pressed into the pile of white flowers. She recalled how, at the news of the she-cat's awakening their deputy had raced into the medicine den, demanding answers from the shaken apprentice.

Now, Webstar was alone with Riverpaw, trying to figure out what happened in a much calmer manner than the distraught father of two unconscious kits. Butterflysight knew that, if anyone could find out what happened from the frightened apprentice, it was their level-headed leader.

_Yet he's on his last life, and soon we may have a more temperamental leader,_ Butterflysight mused before she could stop herself. She shook her head. _Nettlefire may have his attitude, but no cat could deny his loyalty to the Clan. He was the son of Jaystar, after all._

But would the rest of the Clan follow him?

A shuffling from the medicine den entrance caught Butterflysight's eye, dragging her out of her thoughts. The unevenly black striped leader padded out of the den, appearing troubled. She stood up, dipping her head towards Webstar. "Did you find out more about what happened?" Butterflysight inquired, keeping a safe distance away from her leader with her flower-stained paws.

Webstar nodded. "Riverpaw told me that Echokit had been speaking about following the moon earlier in the day, and that the kits had gone to her for help escaping the camp that night," He began hesitantly, glancing towards the nursery. Butterflysight tilted her head. "Following the moon? Like Tidewhisper did?" She asked.

"Yes," The wise leader continued, "But she also said that Hollykit spoke of how Echokit was visited by StarClan cats. Riverpaw said that Echokit led them to the Deathflowers, and that the moon had told her they were called 'Moonflowers', which only flower at night. Apparently, the kit was under the impression that they needed to bring these herbs back to you, Butterflysight."

Butterflysight's eyes widened as the leader fixed her with an intense amber stare. "Why?" She squeaked, though before the word was even out of her mouth, she knew the answer. She turned her light brown gaze towards the rabbit carcass behind her, stuffed with deadly petals. A chill went down her spine.

"How strange of StarClan to visit a kit," She mewed, mind racing. "And why would our ancestors send such young cats to gather such a dangerous herb? Surely they would have known how deadly the Deathflowers are?" Butterflysight worked her paws against the cool stone beneath her feet. Webstar's brow was furrowed with concern. "You're more likely to know the answer to that question than I am, Butterflysight," He reminded her gently.

_Why wouldn't they send me the dream? And why wouldn't they warn Echokit about how dangerous the Moonflowers were?_ Butterflysight's mind whirled. She recalled how, as a kit, she'd learned that Hidinglight had been the one to recieve StarClan's messages, due to Halfmoon's betrayal as a medicine cat. To make matters worse, aside from the prophecy she'd recieved several moons ago, StarClan had been silent, and the medicine cat's dreams had been empty.

Butterflysight's heart clenched with fear. _Has StarClan chosen someone else to guide?_ She despaired. _But I haven't done anything wrong!_

Though that wasn't entirely true. She recalled the way her heart raced whenever she approached a certain cat, how his interest in what she was doing to heal sent warmth blossoming through her chest.

She recalled Halfmoon's parting words as she lay on her death bed, how the she-cat had been frightened to die for fear she would not be joining her loved ones in StarClan. To date, Butterflysight had never seen the white coated she-cat in her dreams, though Hidinglight had claimed to.

"I think, being both Nettlefire and Tidewhisper's kit, Echokit is quite special," Webstar added gently, as if he sensed her concern. "Nettlefire was Halfmoon's kit, after all. Perhaps she is visited by both StarClan, and can read signs in the moon. I think it would be wise to consider taking her on as an apprentice," He mewed. "Like Tidewhisper, she might be able to guide us in ways we hadn't imagined."

Butterflysight blinked in surprise at the black striped leader, her heart sinking. "Take on an apprentice?" She squeaked. "I've barely become a full medicine cat of my own!"

"The Clan could only gain from having another medicine cat, Butterflysight," He mewed gently. Butterflysight looked away. She knew that he was right, but in a way, it seemed that accepting an apprentice so soon would be turning over her skills to someone else.

Butterflysight dipped her head, ending the conversation, and after several moments, Webstar padded away. She turned back towards the pile of Deathflowers, feeling sick, and finished stuffing the rabbit with the petals. She grasped the rabbit's tail in her mouth, keeping her jaws as far away from the corrupted part of the prey as possible, and dragged it towards the camp entrance.

Wildheart rushed over at the sight of her, his pelt bristling. "Butterflysight! I heard Riverpaw's awake. Is she okay?" His tail lashed anxiously. Butterflysight nodded, flicking her tail to indicate her brother follow her. Once they were a safe place away from camp, Butterflysight let go of the poisoned prey and began digging a small hole to hide it in until it was time to use it.

"She was a little shaken up. She was under the impression that many of our Clanmates had been attacked by coyotes while she was out with the kits. She certainly didn't seem to be feeling any better after finding out what had really happened," She informed him. Wildheart's ears flattened and he shuffled his paws sheepishly. "I know, I shouldn't have listened to her, but Riverpaw's never given me any reason not to trust her!" He mewed, green eyes pleading for Butterflysight to believe him.

She purred, flicking her tail. "No worries, Wildheart. You shouldn't have been on that night watch, anyways. You're no good at keeping watch if you're falling asleep on your paws." Butterflysight looked up towards the darkening sky. "Now, Riverpaw said these flowers open at night. My paws are already tainted. We have to be careful, but would you help me gather some more? I want to make sure we get enough prey poisoned for the coyotes to bring back to their camp."

At once, the suggestion seemed to brighten him up, and Wildheart puffed out his chest. "Let's do it! Those coyotes aren't going to know what hit them!" He mewed, bounding forward, before shuddering to a halt. "Erm... Where are they again?"

Butterflysight purred at her brother's enthusiasm. "I think I remember Riverpaw saying they were that way," She mewed, gesturing towards the area behind the canyons that made up their camp. With that, Wildheart padded forward, fur puffed and proud, and Butterflysight tagged along behind him, quietly reminding him not to get the flowers anywhere near his mouth. For a moment, she was able to simply enjoy the mission with her brother and forget about the worries of the day before, or the deathly still form of a tiny black she-kit curled in the medicine den.

* * *

One moon ago

* * *

Light faded in an out of focus. When he was awake, it was nothing but pain. When he was asleep, darkness and emptiness. His chest ached, but in a way that was too weary to fight for air anymore.

It felt like moons before he truly awakened, and once he did, he'd wished he hadn't.

Everything hurt. His whole body felt as if it were falling apart piece by piece. His pelt was on fire, his lungs screamed, and his muscles felt as if they carried a thousand tiny fangs. He could barely focus on anything except for the pain; once he did, he realized a cat was screaming in agony.

It took much longer to realize it was himself.

He noticed bright yellow eyes before he passed out from the pain. During his brief conscious moments, he'd felt a cat carrying him, though every bump sent his body trembling with agony. He'd heard, "I recognize that scent - Great StarClan, Bravepaw!"

"Do you know this cat? One of your Clan?"

The voice trembled and a familiar scent wreathed around him, though he couldn't place it. "He sounds like he's in pain. How does he look? Was it the coyotes?"

"He was lying beside the river. He's alive, but barely. I've already got as much of the water from his lungs as possible, but he seems pretty beat up." A shuffling sounded, and he moaned in pain as he was set down. "Is that - he has something in his mouth! It looks like a rock!"

"A rock? What in StarClan?"

His eyes fluttered open as the strange cats made a move towards his jaws. He grunted and whirled away from them, releasing a sound somewhere between a growl and a moan. The movement sent his body trembling, sharp pain echoing in every facet of his being. Black dots danced across his vision, then everything went black.

* * *

Present Day

* * *

He brought himself to his paws, legs shaking, the earth threatening to slip out from under them. His muscles screamed in pain, and black dots began to spread over his vision, yet he persisted, focusing on a shimmering blue stone on the other side of the hollow. He felt his breathing steady, reminded of another color just as blue. The spots cleared, and he struggled forward several more steps.

It was slow, painstaking work. The sun bore down on him relentlessly for what felt like hours, and for awhile he wasn't sure whether he'd pass out from heat or effort.

But finally, he made it. He collapsed in a heap beside the river-blue stone, gasping with the effort, and stared up at the cloudless sky. Pride surged through his blood, almost making him forget his exhaustion.

"You got further today, Bravepaw," A gentle voice purred. Bravepaw turned his head to fix his green gaze on a black shape, huddled in the shade of the rocks beside him. Her previously elegant face was scarred and disfigured, and her dazzling green eyes now held a blind dullness.

Bravepaw scoffed, looking away from her. "Like you could tell, you can't even see me, Grassdaze!" He protested, though his tail curled with pride at the she-cat's praise.

The elegant black she-cat rose to her paws, stretching her scar-muddled limbs. "I don't need to see to know where you're at, Bravepaw," Grassdaze mewed. "I always hunted and moved in the shadows, and you hardly romp around quietly." She lifted her head, opening her jaws to taste the air, dull green eyes fixed on some point in the distance. Bravepaw raised his head, instinctively following her gaze, but he saw nothing.

"Creek's back," Grassdaze determined. Bravepaw forced himself up into a sitting position, ignoring his aching limbs, and craned his neck. He even opened his jaws, but again he sensed nothing but the dry desert air. Bravepaw sat back on his haunches, disappointed. Even without her sight, Grassdaze was as sharp as ever.

Only moments later, a broad shouldered, deep grey tom crested over the hill that surrounded the hollow. His dark brown, uneven splotches lit up to an almost gold color in the heavy sunlight. He blinked at the pair respectfully, jaws full with two fat rabbits, and lay down the catch in front of them.

Grassdaze glanced over at Bravepaw, her whiskers twitching. "Told you," She mewed. The apprentice flicked his ears in her direction, but otherwise ignored the she-cat's comment as he forced himself to his quivering paws. Creek shot an appreciative look towards the apprentice and set the rabbit down within his reach.

"Bravepaw got all the way across the hollow today," Grassdaze announced as she tore into the rabbit beside Creek. Bravepaw's ears burned with embarrassment. "It's not a big deal," He muttered, relaxing into the warm stone beneath him. It wasn't because he wanted to relax; it was because his limbs refused to hold him up anymore.

Creek tilted his head towards the apprentice, his curious yellow eyes flashing brightly. "Really? That's awesome!" He praised. Bravepaw kneaded his paws into the rabbit's fur in front of him. "I still can't get around on my own," He reminded the tom quietly. _Otherwise I'd be home by now._ He eyed the shimmering-blue stone he'd gathered from beneath the river's surface. Against all odds, he'd lived. Bravepaw remembered the near death experience as if it were yesterday.

Much later, once Bravepaw was stable enough to remain conscious through the pain, he had learned the name of his savior; a loner named Creek. When, in a daze, Bravepaw had asked to be brought back to his Clan, Creek revealed that he had lived close to there, and had left the area once he became aware of the major threat of coyotes nearby.

Of course, that had only made Bravepaw want to return more; but it was hard to do that when it felt as if every bone in your body was broken. Creek and Grassdaze did their best to treat the tom, but they weren't medicine cats, Grassdaze was blind from the coyote attack, and some days it seemed as if no progress at all was being made.

But Bravepaw refused to give up. _I will recover. I will return to the Clan, and I _will_ be a warrior._

For the moment, the rag-tag pair were living with Creek. Grassdaze was unable to find her way back while blind. She'd led the coyotes away from the rest of the group during the attack, but she'd received jaws to the face as a result. Even though she hadn't been able to see, she ran as far as she could from the coyotes, eventually taking shelter in a tree. Creek had found her there and tended to her wounds. Grassdaze had wanted to return, as well, but she'd had no idea which direction she'd run, and Creek didn't seem to know exactly where the Clan might be.

Creek insisted that they'd have to venture straight into coyote territory to return, and Bravepaw was hardly able to move without assistance. Though it killed him, Bravepaw remained, doing exercises and stretches every day, and never once forgetting his goals; to return to the Clan, win Riverpaw's heart, and be the best, bravest warrior the Clan had ever seen.

"Did you find anything new today, Creek?" Grassdaze inquired, turning her blind gaze towards the grey and brown tom. He shook his head. "I didn't find the canyons you were talking about. We might have to move again, though. The coyotes are expanding their territory closer to us." Creek stared off into the distance, his brow furrowed. Bravepaw gaped, leaping up in protest. The action sent his mind whirling with pain. "We can't move! We have to find our way back to the Clan!"

Creek fixed his golden gaze on the tom, whiskers twitching ever so slightly. "And are you going to fight ten coyotes on your own?" He teased. Bravepaw held his head high. "I know to follow the river back to the Clan. I'd have gone already if I could move on my own. If we leave, we might not be able to find the way back."

Creek looked away, studying the river. "That may be the case, but I told you, the coyote's territory is in that direction. With both of you so vulnerable, its not safe to travel that way yet."

At that, Grassdaze snorted. "Creek, I may have lost my sight, but my claws are still just as sharp," She reminded him. The grey and brown tom shuffled his paws sheepishly. "I was mostly referring to Bravepaw," He mewed.

"I'm getting better each day!" Bravepaw protested. "We'll probably be able to head back in the next quarter moon!"

He knew it was a load of badger droppings. He could scarcely get across their hollow without passing out. But he also knew that moving camp risked being able to find their way home, and he had to return to SunClan.

Creek remained silent for several long moments. "Rose and Dawn lost their lives to the coyotes," He mewed quietly. "And Dusk - they probably got that poor kit, too."

Bravepaw blinked at the mention of the name. "We found a kit named Dusk," He blurted out. "She's staying in our Clan. Her new name is Featherkit."

Creek swiveled his gaze towards Bravepaw, surprise and hope reflecting in his eyes. "What? What did she look like?"

Hope bubbled in Bravepaw's chest. If Creek knew Dusk, maybe he'd be more willing to take the risks to help them get back to the Clan. "She was four moons old or so when we found her beneath a jojoba tree. She had a bunch of feathers, and she's a reddish brown color-"

Creek leapt up, fur bristling. "That's her! She's alive?" Bravepaw nodded wordlessly, and the grey tom fell silent, staring at some point in the distance. He kneaded his claws into the sand restlessly.

Grassdaze gently touched the tom with her tail. "She's safe with the Clan," She promised. Creek turned his golden gaze towards the black she-cat. "I know, but... I used to help her mother and sister while they were alive. Dusk looked up to me like an older brother. She probably thinks I abandoned her, and with her mom not coming back to her..." He shook his head. "I've got to tell her what happened."

Creek turned back towards Bravepaw. "Alright. I think we should wait a little bit longer for you to recover some more, but we'll stay here for now. If the coyotes get closer, we'll deal with it then," He announced. Bravepaw let out a sigh of relief, relaxing. He turned toward the bright blue stone he'd grasped from the bottom of the river. _Soon, Riverpaw. I'm coming home._


	13. Chapter 13

_Alright guys, I tried to do something different - not stress about writing unless if I was feeling inspired, and only writing during that time. I feel that I did alright with this chapter too, and I really hope you like it._

_To Kesteralfeather: Thanks so much! Your review and continued support means a lot. I've definitely got a soft spot for Bravepaw too._

_Question of the day: Who is everyone's favorite character and why?_

* * *

**Chapter 13**

"Cats of SunClan! The coyote territory has drawn ever closer, but we have found a solution to keep the cats of our Clan safe," Webstar yowled from the highest ledge in the canyon. Riverpaw clung to the edges of the crowd; her normally social attitude was subdued with guilt and shame.

Just a quarter moon had passed. Echokit had awoken the day after the apprentice had, appearing confused and distraught. Riverpaw had only recently been cleared for normal apprentice duties again, but Butterflysight had her stay in the medicine den to make sure she was alright after her encounter with the Deathflowers. As a result, she was forced to witness the worry that Echokit exhibited for her sister.

And something else. Late at night, when Butterflysight and the rest of the Clan were asleep, Echokit cried in her sleep. Riverpaw wasn't able to make out much of what the kit was saying, but she was certain that the black and silver she-kit was talking to someone - "Why wouldn't you tell me the Moonflowers would hurt Hollykit?"

Hollykit still hadn't woken up. It was to the point that there was a cat at her side, at all times. Butterflysight seemed grim about the young kits prognosis, trying several different remedies, such as oil from the jojoba fruit, like she'd done with Houndpaw. Nothing seemed to help.

Riverpaw couldn't bear to look her Clanmates in the eyes. A kit was dying, and it was her fault.

"We have poisoned prey with the Deathflowers, and have buried this prey somewhere that cats won't accidentally stumble on it. It seems that coyotes aren't very picky about food; they had plenty of crowfood that they were eating, in their camp. Now that we have enough prey, we must place the bait in areas that the coyotes will find it."

Webstar's gaze swiveled about the Clan, fixing each and every cat with a serious stare. "There will be risks to this mission. Cats will have to venture relatively close to the coyote camp, carrying piles of prey contaminated with poison. I'm calling this meeting to gather volunteers," Webstar announced, sitting back on his haunches and resting his tail over his paws.

Hidinglight stepped forward, holding her head high. "I'll go," She mewed certainly. Sparrowdawn exchanged a brief word with her before lifting his head to Webstar. "I'll be staying. We'll still need cats to protect the camp in case anything goes wrong."

Dewthistle stared at the leader with wide, frightened eyes. Applesplash huffed, lashing her tail in annoyance over something, but she kept her jaws shut. Adderspring remained silent, staring out into the crowd as if he expected some other cat to volunteer.

Riverpaw blinked in confusion. Why weren't more cats volunteering? The coyotes poised a threat to them all. And yet it seemed that most of the cats were reluctant to fight for the Clan.

At long last, a light brown tom with darker brown splotches stepped forward, and Riverpaw felt a broken purr rumble in her throat. Turtlespot.

"Sagefrost was a good cat, respected by all of ThunderClan. During the Cold Paw outbreak, she served as our unofficial leader. I volunteer in order to avenge her brave death, and prevent future deaths from occurring," Turtlespot announced, swiveling his gaze around the Clan, as if daring them to challenge his reasoning.

Webstar dipped his head respectfully. "We were all touched by Sagefrost's gentle and wise nature. She will be missed for many moons. Thank you, Turtlespot."

"I'll go too," Applesplash mewed gruffly, shooting daggers towards Turtlespot. Riverpaw's whisker's twitched in amusement; the ginger she-cat clearly didn't want to be shown up by the ThunderClan tom.

Riverpaw swiveled her river blue gaze out among the crowd. She noticed with a pang that there was one group of cats missing from the meeting; Tidewhisper, her kits, and Nettlefire himself. Scarcely aware of her paws, she stepped forward. "Webstar, I'd like to volunteer," She mewed, turning her gaze towards the black striped leader. A slight look of surprise crossed his amber gaze, and he gestured for her to explain.

The words came out in a rush. "Finding the Deathflowers was a risk in itself. It may help with the coyotes, but there is still a kit in the medicine den that hasn't recovered. It's my fault. I lied to my Clanmates that night, I snuck the kits out. I didn't keep them safe. I want to do what I can to make up for my mistakes," Riverpaw announced. She held her head high, feeling a heaviness lift off of her shoulders now that the words were spoken. A whisper of protest echoed behind her, and she flicked her ears. Redwind. _He must be worried about me, still,_ She determined. Where the thought might have thrilled her before, it only seemed to make her paws feel more weary.

Webstar nodded, an appreciative look in his eyes. "I respect your candor, Riverpaw. I know that you will do well to defend and protect SunClan. I'll make an exception and allow an apprentice to join this mission." He swept his gaze across the Clan once more. "Rainpoppy, I'd like you to join this patrol as well. You and Hidinglight were the ones to scope out the coyote's camp, so you two know it best. The rest of us will remain at camp tonight, and we will have two cats watching for any issues in case we need to send reinforcements."

The wise leader hesitated as he rose to a stand, his tail poised in thought. "I will join this mission as well," Webstar announced finally. "So that we have a cat who's experienced what these beasts are capable of."

A gasp echoed from deeper in the cavern, and Riverpaw turned her gaze to see Butterflysight, light brown eyes wide with panic and her pelt bristling. "Webstar, you can't!" She hissed. "You're on your last life! It's too dangerous!"

At her outburst, Riverpaw noticed several cats exchange some indiscernable looks. Hidinglight shuffled anxiously. "Webstar, you don't need to come on this mission if you don't want to," She mewed hesitantly. "You, Wildheart, and Redwind have been training all of us well, and its unlikely that we will even encounter any coyotes on this mission-"

Webstar shot a warning look to the medicine cat, before turning to address Hidinglight. "Then there's no reason why I shouldn't join you," He mewed certainly. "I've made up my mind. I promised to find you all a safe place to make a home, and I intend to keep that promise. These coyotes threaten that. Nettlefire will be in charge while I'm gone." Mutters of discontent echoed amongst the crowd at that statement, but no cat dared to challenge Webstar's decision. "This meeting is dismissed. We shall leave before sun-down!" Without another word, Webstar hopped down from the ledge, and the gathered cats dissolved into anxious, muttering groups.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?"

Riverpaw whirled around at a voice, relaxing only slightly once she saw that it was Redwind. She held her head high. "I have to do this," She insisted, staring into his worried brown eyes. The reddish tom appeared doubtful, but he entwined his tail with hers. "Just promise me you'll be careful, alright?"

It was almost suffocating. The cat she admired so much before felt mountains away now. Riverpaw pulled back, ignoring the hurt in Redwind's eyes. "I'll be fine," She mewed, spotting Butterflysight in the group of cats that were going on the mission. "I'd better go," Riverpaw mewed quietly. "It looks like there's a group meeting."

She padded over to the group, her spine prickling with anxiety. Rainpoppy glanced at her as she approached, merely offering a curt nod before turning her attention back towards what the medicine cat was saying.

"You all need to be extremely careful of the poison," Butterflysight mewed seriously. "I suggest carrying the prey by its tails. Do everything you can to avoid contact with the Deathflowers, or anything they might have tainted, especially the rabbit's faces. Minor symptoms of the poisoning include hallucinations - Riverpaw learned that the hard way. So if you see something that doesn't feel right, drop the prey and head back. Your safety is most important."

The grey and white medicine cat fixed each cat with a solemn expression before continuing. "You might not notice the symptoms, so its also your duty to keep an eye on your Clanmates. If any cats appear dizzy, agitated, or disoriented, I also suggest sending them back. The sooner we catch the poisoning, the sooner I can treat it, and the most likely chance there is of recovery."

Webstar stepped forward, glancing around the gathered group. "Keep in mind, these are symptoms that the coyotes will be experiencing once they get contact with the tainted prey. If a coyote eats the prey before returning to their camp, it may be acting unpredictably, so we need to be on high alert. Is that clear?"

The cats of the group nodded silently; even Applesplash and Turtlespot knew better than to question Webstar during such a serious briefing. Webstar turned to Butterflysight, fixing her with an intense amber gaze. "Was there anything else?" He inquired. Butterflysight appeared hesitant, as if there were more she wanted to say, but she merely shook her head.

"Good. Now let's go, before it gets dark," Webstar announced, leading the group towards the camp entrance. Hidinglight padded close to her old mentor, Rainpoppy just beside them, and Riverpaw fell into step beside Turtlespot and Applesplash, surprised that they weren't bickering back and forth for once.

"Webstar's on his last life," Turtlespot mewed thoughtfully, just loud enough for Riverpaw and Applesplash to hear. Applesplash snorted quietly. "Good. Maybe we'll get a non-ShadowClan deputy for once."

Riverpaw blinked in surprise towards the pair. She too agreed that the Clan needed more guidance from non-ShadowClan cats, but the way they were discussing their leader's potential death seemed incredibly callous.

_I'm not one to talk,_ Riverpaw mused. _I've definitely criticized Webstar's decisions._ _ Leaving Nettlefire in charge while he's dealing with an ill kit isn't the smartest of decisions._

She shook her head. They were just wanting more equality within the Clan. There was nothing wrong with that.

* * *

Rainpoppy moved silently alongside Hidinglight. They had grouped together to place prey as close to the coyote camp as possible. The two separate groups - Turtlespot and Applesplash, and Webstar and Riverpaw, would be placing prey on the outskirts surrounding the ridge and hollow.

However, she hadn't accounted for the struggle that carrying heavy, poison laden prey would incur in keeping silent. Hidinglight appeared to be struggling too, making swift jerking motions whenever the head of the two rabbits she carried would get too close to her pelt. Riverpaw hesitated a moment, checking the overwhelming coyote scent in the area. It was hard to tell, but there didn't seem to be any coyotes headed their way.

Rainpoppy set the rabbit down, studying it. "I think we should set the prey on either side of the ridge," She determined. "And we want to make sure the coyotes find the prey - maybe we should cut it's belly open to make the scent more noticeable?"

Hidinglight nodded, gesturing with her tail towards the edge of the ridge closest to them. Now was the most important time to be silent; if they were caught, it wouldn't be just one coyote after them, but ten. Rainpoppy shook her head. "You're carrying two," She whispered, "Let me. Then I can grab the other one from you." At that, Hidinglight sat back on her haunches, setting the prey down a tail length away from her.

Rainpoppy approached the rocks at the edge of the ridge silently. Her pelt prickled uneasily at the openness of the scenery, but fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) dusk was crawling across the horizon, casting long shadows for her to cling to. The grey tabby she-cat kept her head high, ignoring the way the rabbit brushed against her pelt in favor of keeping it from dragging off the ground.

She set the rabbit down in an obvious area, testing the air with open jaws before daring to drag a sharp claw across its belly, slicing through its fragile fur. The stench of blood and crowfood filled the air. As quickly as possible, Rainpoppy hurried back to where Hidinglight was waiting and took one of the tortoiseshell she-cat's burdens in her jaws, moving onward without a word.

Whimpering and yipping filled the air, and Rainpoppy's pelt bristled, though she kept her focus on moving silently. From the sounds echoing closely behind them, it seemed that the group of coyotes had already discovered the prey. Hidinglight's pace picked up with a sense of urgency as well, and they took the path up the ridge that they had used before, steering clear of the coyote's regular area.

As they came up to the otherside of the coyote camp, Hidinglight placed the next piece of prey down, slicing the rabbit's belly fur in the same way that Rainpoppy had. The grey tabby she-cat admired the method and silence with which the previously skittish tortoiseshell moved, and the pair disappeared back into the shadows once more, moving as if they were of the same mind.

Rainpoppy gestured silently towards a heavily scented dip in the sand at the front of the coyote's camp. Though Hidinglight's jaws were full with the last rabbit, the tortoiseshell nodded, carefully placing the prey beside the dip. She didn't bother slicing this one's belly; this was clearly the path the coyotes most often used to enter their camp.

They hurried away from the camp in no particular direction, the urgency and tension causing their hackles to raise. Just as Rainpoppy was about to let out a sigh of relief, Hidinglight tensed, and she heard it -

An eerie wailing filling the landscape, echoing across the canyon stones and outcrops, chilling them to the bone. The sound reverberated so loudly, Rainpoppy swore that it was right behind them; she knew how close the beast was before she even whirled around, claws unsheathed, to stare face to face with the frightening, dog-like beast just four fox-length's away, it's long, sharp fangs dripping with saliva. Though it was one of the smaller ones, Rainpoppy knew that those teeth were just as deadly as the beasts that had taken Sagefrost's life. It's ears were perked, and it's eyes lit up with a wild excitement. _It sees its next meal,_ Rainpoppy thought, tensing every muscle in her body in preparence for the fight.

But it was Hidinglight who moved first. With a defiant screech, the tortoiseshell launched herself at the beast, claws outstretched as she leapt for its face. Hidinglight landed on its muzzle, scratching and clawing at its eyes as the coyote let out a shriek of surprise, wildly jerking its head to try and shake the assailant off.

In a dash, Rainpoppy pushed against the stone beneath her, biting and scraping the sides of the coyote's legs, before rolling underneath the beast to attack its more vulnerable belly fur. She raked her sharp claws as deep into the beast's pelt as possible, eliciting a yowl of pain from the coyote. It stumbled backwards, hackles raised, and Rainpoppy moved with it, continuing to slice at its legs and belly.

The coyote wasn't expecting such a fight from its prey. It whimpered against their attacks, snapping as best as it could with Hidinglight perched on its face, before stumbling back and trying to blindly race away. The tortoiseshell leapt off as the beast pulled away, joining Rainpoppy in the parting scratches and bites towards the beasts retreating legs.

Once the coyote was gone, Rainpoppy gasped for breath, turning towards Hidinglight with an impressed expression. She'd assumed that Hidinglight was still too skittish as a warrior; the tortoiseshell had clearly proven her wrong. Her blood flowed with adrenaline, and her whole body felt alive. "That was awesome!" The normally stern tabby exclaimed, tail lashing with energy.

Hidinglight released a broken purr. "I couldn't have done it without you. We sent it running!"

As if on cue, another eerie wailing echoed across the landscape, though further away, instantly dampening the moments excitement with an unsettling fear. Hidinglight fell silent, and Rainpoppy's tail fell still, her jaws open and ears pricked. "We'd better catch up with the others before it gets its friends," She determined, and the tortoiseshell nodded, eyes wide with concern.

The pair moved further away from the coyote camp, snaking as far on the outskirts of the beasts territory as possible without losing their way back.

They ran into Applesplash and Turtlespot first. The ginger she-cat appeared guarded at the sight of them, but Rainpoppy ignored her; Applesplash was always in a bad mood for one reason or another. "How'd it go?" Hidinglight inquired towards Turtlespot, appearing oblivious to the obvious daggers Applesplash was sending with her gaze.

Turtlespot glanced back the way they'd come. "We got close to one, but it didn't scent us. It seemed more interested in the prey, and we saw it carry the rabbit away. Hopefully the coyote will bring it to its camp."

Rainpoppy nodded. "We placed all of our prey successfully, but ran into some trouble on the way back. One of the younger ones spotted us. Fortunately, Hidinglight was quick to show it that we weren't easy prey," She mewed, shooting an admiring glance towards the tortoiseshell. Hidinglight licked her chest fur self-consciously, and Rainpoppy spotted a flash of surprise in Turtlespot's gaze.

Applesplash huffed. "We'd better get back to Webstar and Riverpaw. Our scents will be all over the place now-" The awful yowl of a cat in agony reached them, and Rainpoppy's fur stood on end. She was already on her paws, pushing urgently against the stone beneath her. Her chest heaved with effort. To her surprise, as she followed the direction of the sound, the scents of the coyotes faded, and the dry sand was replaced by more canyon rock and sheltered areas. She staggered to a stop, opening her jaws to taste the air. There was the undeniable scent of Riverpaw, Webstar, and blood.

"What-?" Hidinglight gasped, her words ending with a choked sound of sorrow and disbelief, staggering to a stop just ahead of Rainpoppy. She padded forward, eyes wide, her pelt bristling at what some canyon rocks had concealed.

Riverpaw was standing with wide eyes in front of a crumpled Webstar, her paws stained with blood. His throat was slashed open, and blood pooled around them, soaking his white fur. His eyes were dull with death.

Their approach pulled the apprentice out of her trance. Her eyes were wide with horror. "It's not - I didn't -" Riverpaw stammered as Hidinglight let out another sound of pain, dashing towards her old mentor and burying her face into his fur. "Webstar," Rainpoppy whispered breathlessly. A thousand memories floated across her gaze. Webstar had been the rock that held ShadowClan together during the hardest of its times. He was always one to provide wisdom and guidance to her, and one of the only cats who had been there for her after the death of her sister, father, and mentor to Cold Paw.

Rainpoppy whirled on the apprentice, her eyes burning with rage. "What did you _do_?!" She yowled, leaping for the blue-grey she-cat.


	14. Chapter 14

_IM SO SORRY GUYS._

_I just found out that I no longer qualify for the medical insurance I had before, and I can't afford any of the plans available to me. (THANKS AMERICA.) So this last week has been spent mostly panicking and procrastinating because I can't see my therapist anymore. I work the next few days but I'll try to get out another chapter after this one in the next few days._

_To Frostfur of SkyClan: I believe I saw you followed way back when I wrote Hidden Sparrow's Destiny, and I'm thrilled that you're still enjoying the story! Thanks so much for the comment and support!_

_To The MoonClanner: Welcome back! I was beginning to worry without your comments hahaha. I don't believe I ever mentioned how old Creek is but I imagine he's quite well versed in taking care of himself considering he's supposedly been on his own for awhile. I'll probably mention his family at some point in the story, thanks for the note!_

_Also, I'm very very sorry for this, but it had to be done. _

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Butterflysight knew, with all her heart, that she was meant to be a medicine cat. Healing was her StarClan-given duty; not fighting.

But sometimes it was hard to follow that path. Sometimes, she questioned whether she'd truly made the right decision, whether she was truly the cat meant to serve as healer and StarClan's emmisary for an undetermined amount of moons.

Such a moment occurred now. As, weeping, a small black tom kit huddled beside a smaller, still form, his wide copper eyes confused and full of sorrow. Beside him, Shadowkit, the bigger tom kit, nudged the still she-kit's form. "Hollykit, wake up," He mewed, voice trembling.

The silver queen with blue-grey spots curled around the still black form, her small stature enveloping the kit with love. Beside her, a disheveled grey tom with stunning blue eyes stood, eyes blazing with indecipherable emotion.

"Was this my fault?" A small voice squeaked. Butterflysight turned her head to face the black and silver she-kit; Echokit. "Of course not," Butterflysight mewed gently, curling her tail around the tiny kit. "You had no idea that the Moonflowers were so dangerous. It's not your fault, Echokit." The medicine cat willed energy into her words; if she could do nothing else, she wanted to be sure that this small kit would not blame herself.

"She's gone, isn't she?" Tidewhisper asked, the tiny queen's voice resounding hollowly. Wordlessly, Butterflysight nodded, nudging the still black form towards her mother. "She's with StarClan now," Butterflysight whispered, dipping her head. "I'm sorry that I couldn't save her," She whispered, her voice breaking. Tidewhisper's silver body quivered with pain as she nosed her lost kit, her eyes glistening. Nettlefire's eyes shone, but he remained still as a stone, staring with stunning blue eyes towards his dead kit.

Even the normally energetic four remaining kits were solemn. Despite how young they were, they clearly understood what it meant to have lost their sister. Nightkit, normally so afraid of the light, paid no mind to beams of sunlight shining in from the ceiling, focusing only on his sister's corpse. Shadowkit, the more energetic counterpart to Nightkit, was uncharacteristically silent as he sat beside his littermate's body. Foggykit, the black and white tom kit, stared around the medicine den in confusion. And worst of all, Echokit, the black and silver she-kit, trembled with undoubtable grief and guilt at the thought that she might have caused her own sister's death.

_What's the purpose of me being a medicine cat if I can't save anyone?_ Butterflysight wondered, feeling her heart sink to her paws. _Oh, StarClan, how I wish you would guide me!_

Instead of a sign from the stars, however, Butterflysight's grieving thoughts were interrupted by a commotion further towards the camp entrance. She instinctively glanced towards Nettlefire, but at his stony appearance she instantly knew that he would not be the cat to investigate.

Thus, silently, with a dip of her head, Butterflysight moved with heavy paws towards the camp entrance, wondering if anything could possibly make the night worse than a kit's death.

It turns out, it could. The sights and scents Butterflysight was greeted with as she entered the clearing overwhelmed her, and for several long moments, she couldn't make sense of her surroundings. Hidinglight smelled strongly of blood and sorrow; Riverpaw's scent was overwhelmed by that of Applesplash and Turtlespot; Rainpoppy's scent was intermingled with that of their leader, Webstar.

If it weren't for the overwhelming scents of blood, Butterflysight would have assumed that the patrol was in good health.

"What happened?" Butterflysight gasped, forcing herself to focus through the thick stench of blood. She raced over to the patrol, her eyes adjusting to the light just in time to notice as Hidinglight shifted the weight of a white and black striped cat onto her shoulder's.

"He's gone, Butterflysight," Hidinglight choked, her body trembling as she pressed the still form against Butterflysight's grey pelt. The medicine cat's mind whirled, forcing her mind to register what her senses were already telling her. _Webstar. That's Webstar's blood._

"What happened?" Butterflysight mewed again, her voice scarcely a whisper. No cat seemed to hear her.

"We need to tell Nettlefire," Turtlespot mewed grimly as the group gingerly placed the white and black leader's body in the center of the cavern. Already, a crowd was beginning to form. Featherpaw stumbled out of the apprentice's den, her eyes wide with horror. Dewthistle, who had been padding to the fresh kill pile, stumbled back in shock.

A flash of dark grey fur blurred past Butterflysight.

"Rainpoppy! You guys are back!" Wildheart exclaimed, tail tip curling obliviously. "Wildheart-" Butterflysight choked, but she didn't need to say another word. The tom's green gaze followed that of his Clanmates, and landed on his previous mentor. His ears flattened as Finchberry solemnly approached the deceased leader, her tail drooping.

"He was an honorable leader. With his guidance, he saved all of the Clans from the lake. He rests in a high place in StarClan, now," The gentle she-cat mewed, fixing Butterflysight and Wildheart with a sympathetic gaze.

At once, Butterflysight was shaken out of her daze, and she padded over to Webstar, inspecting his body. She settled beside Hidinglight for a moment, her heart feeling as if it would burst from grief. Webstar had been her counsel through most of her doubt as a medicine cat. He'd shown her immeasurable trust, even when she didn't quite trust herself.

His white coat was stained with blood, making it almost impossible to locate the fatal wound that had taken the leader's last life. At first glance, the ugliest of his wounds mirrored that of Sagefrost's; his belly was mauled and torn, as if a coyote had ripped the life from his belly fur.

But closer inspection revealed a disturbing sight. Though Webstar's belly was slashed and coated with blood, his wounds were not nearly the depth required to kill a cat, and nowhere near how bad Sagefrost's wounds had been. Butterflysight's eyes widened, and she scanned the leader's fur for more wounds. "How-?" She whispered, more to herself than anything.

"Where is Nettlefire?" Rainpoppy demanded. Her eyes were cold and furious. Butterflysight glanced up, noticing for the first time that Riverpaw's gaze was cast to the floor, hanging back from the group, and Turtlespot's tail was lashing.

Butterflysight swallowed past a lump in her throat. Nettlefire had just lost his daughter, and now he'd have to be informed of Webstar's death - a cat who served as the deputy's father. "I'll tell him," The medicine cat mewed hoarsely, rising to her paws. Turtlespot seemed reluctant, but nodded. Rainpoppy, on the other hand, marched ahead of Butterflysight, her eyes narrowed with purpose. "Don't let that traitor out of your sight!" Rainpoppy yowled to Applesplash and Turtlespot, who exchanged an uneasy glance.

Butterflysight raced to catch up. "Rainpoppy, I really think I'd better tell Nettlefire myself," She stammered. "Hollykit-" Rainpoppy whirled around, her eyes blazing with a fury that dulled her sight. "Butterflysight, Nettlefire needs to know that we have a traitor in our Clan," She spat, her hackles raised.

The medicine cat stumbled backwards as if struck, her light brown eyes wide. "What-?"

Rainpoppy paced, huffing with fury. "Riverpaw," She snarled. "She killed Webstar."

Butterflysight blinked in confusion, doubt beginning to creep at the edges of her mind. "It looked like a coyote-"

The dark grey warrior scoffed. "I saw her with my own eyes, Butterflysight! We all did! Her paws are stained red with his blood!" With that, Rainpoppy spun around and raced towards the medicine den. Butterflysight raced after her, hardly having time to think before Rainpoppy burst into the medicine den.

"Nettlefire, Riverpaw murdered Webstar!" Rainpoppy yowled, only to come to a shuddering halt at the sight of the limp black form in the nest the family surrounded. Butterflysight pushed past her, gasping with effort, and shot a warning look to the furious warrior. Nettlefire, Tidewhisper, and their kits stared at the pair with wide eyes.

Heavy silence filled the air before Nettlefire stepped forward. "What-what did you say?" He mewed, glancing wildly from Rainpoppy to Butterflysight.

Of course, now Rainpoppy was silent, clearly conflicted at the scene she'd just walked into. Butterflysight stepped forward, speaking in a low voice. "The patrol came back, Nettlefire. Webstar is dead."

The deputy's eyes clouded with grief, and Tidewhisper padded towards her mate, her tail drooping as she pressed against his side. "You-" Nettlefire shook his head, his vision clearing for a moment, his blue eyes rising to meet Rainpoppy's. "Riverpaw killed him?" His spine fur began to bristle, and Butterflysight saw the beginnings of a fire strong enough to wipe out a forest in his eyes.

"Tell us exactly what happened, Rainpoppy," Tidewhisper urged gently, her copper eyes still dull with grief. Rainpoppy straightened a bit, her expression solemn. "We had all grouped back together after completing the mission, except for Riverpaw and Webstar, when we heard a loud yowl. Hidinglight and I followed the sound and we saw her-" Rainpoppy spat the word with a venom. "Standing over his dead body, paws stained with his blood."

The air crackled with tension, so thick you could have drawn a claw through it. "She killed my daughter, and now my father?" Nettlefire's voice was hollow. Butterflysight pushed forward. "Nettlefire, we don't know for sure what happened. His wounds looked like coyote wounds," She insisted, though her mind struggled to be rid of an image of wounds that weren't deep enough to kill. Echokit stumbled forward, her kit-fluff bristling. "No! Riverpaw didn't do it!" She protested, her blue eyes wide.

Nettlefire stiffened at his daughter's outburst, before he turned on the medicine cat, his eyes unseeing with rage. "Leave, both of you," He ordered. "I want Riverpaw to be kept on watch for now. She's not to leave the apprentice's den." Butterflysight didn't bother to argue that this was her den - clearly, the deputy - no, the leader - needed time to process.

Rainpoppy dipped her head and padded out of the medicine den, appearing dazed at the encounter. Butterflysight, on the other hand, hung back. "Nettlefire, I know that you are grieving, but you must receive your nine lives and appoint a deputy," She insisted, her chest growing heavy with an unidentified dread.

Nettlefire fixed the grey-blue she-cat with an unreadable gaze. "I will find you later when I'm ready," He mewed. "Just... go." His voice trembled a fraction on the last word, and the tom padded back towards his daughter's body, shoulders slumping and tail hanging heavily.

Butterflysight dipped her head respectfully and padded out of the den, back towards the main cavern. As she entered the cavern, a dispute echoed across the walls, and she picked up her pace to see Rainpoppy shoving Riverpaw into the apprentice's den. Houndpaw and Featherpaw watched from the sidelines with wide eyes. Finchberry trailed behind the young warrior, her tail bristling. "Is this necessary?" She demanded. Turtlespot intercepted her, his gaze unreadable. "Nettlefire's orders," He mewed curtly.

Butterflysight tore her gaze away, studying Webstar's body, where Wildheart and Hidinglight lay slumped. Sparrowdawn had joined his mate, curled around her and gently grooming her pelt in comfort. _Did Riverpaw really kill Webstar?_ She wondered. _Could any cat truly be that cruel?_

She found herself moving towards Webstar's body once more, settling beside her brother. The grey tom lifted his head at her approach, his unseeing eyes clearing for a brief moment as he spotted the skirmish on the other side of the . "What are they doing with Riverpaw?" He asked, instantly alert. Butterflysight's pelt prickled with discomfort. "Rainpoppy thinks that she killed Webstar," She mewed quietly.

Wildheart leapt to his paws, eyes blazing and pelt bristling. "That's fox-dung!" He spat, racing towards the dispute. Butterflysight sighed, gently nosing Webstar's still body. She studied his wounds once more, her brow furrowing. Though the leader's belly wounds were definitely violent, Butterflysight was becoming more and more certain that they were not deep enough to kill him. So how did he die?

Butterflysight's gaze turned towards Hidinglight, who's nose was buried into her mentor's fur. Her normally active crooked tail lay still. The medicine cat recalled how Rainpoppy had said that the tortoiseshell had accompanied the warrior when they discovered Webstar's body.

"Hidinglight," Butterflysight began hesitantly. Hidinglight raised her head, fixing the medicine cat with a glistening hazel gaze. "Rainpoppy said that you were there when the patrol found Webstar," She began hesitantly. "Do you really think that Riverpaw did this?"

Hidinglight turned back to look at her old mentor, her ears flattened. Sparrowdawn's ears were perked as well; he wanted to hear the she-cat's answer as much as Butterflysight did. The tortoiseshell remained silent for several long moments before she spoke. "Riverpaw is selfish," Hidinglight began. "She's always felt the need for more connection than most cats, especially after she lost her brother, Smokekit. And she does tend to twist things to get what she wants."

Butterflysight felt her chest tighten as she recalled how Riverpaw had tricked almost all of the cats guarding the camp the night that Hollykit was poisoned. As if sensing her thoughts, Hidinglight began to wave her crooked tail. "Despite all of that, she's not a murderer," The tortoiseshell continued, her hazel eyes filled with sorrow. "Riverpaw seeks love and acceptance - not betrayal and ostracism."

Images of Riverpaw flitting around the camp, chattering excitedly with almost every Clan member filled Butterflysight's mind. It was rare to see the apprentice by herself, and she always seemed to fill a special space in every group.

Butterflysight found herself nodding. "You're right," She mewed, rising to her paws. Certainty filled her veins. "We need to find out from Riverpaw what happened, then. Hidinglight, these wounds don't look deep enough to have killed Webstar. Riverpaw might be innocent, but I don't think that Webstar's death was an accident."

"Then what do you think happened?" Sparrowdawn mewed, incredulous. "All the other cats were in the main patrol except for Riverpaw and Webstar!"

"I have no idea," Butterflysight mewed honestly, her tail lashing. "All I know is what I've learned as a medicine cat, and those wounds aren't enough to have killed Webstar - at least not as quickly as the patrol found the pair." She turned towards Hidinglight, determination in her mew. "Please remain quiet about this for now. I don't want rumors spreading throughout the Clan about what happened to Webstar; the Clan is divided enough as it is. This is something I will deal with, with Nettlefire, myself."

Hidinglight nodded, rising to her paws as the medicine cat turned to walk away. "Butterflysight, I know that Nettlefire is grieving Webstar's death, but please make sure he comes out at some point to say goodbye. Webstar was the only father Nettlefire ever knew."

Sparrowdawn gently touched his mate with his tail. "There's something else. I know you're busy but Hidinglight hasn't been feeling well lately-"

Hidinglight turned towards her mate, amusement reflecting in her gaze. "Sparrowdawn, I already know what's wrong," She interrupted. She glanced from Sparrowdawn to Butterflysight's attentive gaze, shuffling her paws. "I'm expecting kits," She mewed in a small, but hopeful, voice.

Butterflysight's eyes widened and a purr rumbled in her throat. Sparrowdawn whirled to face Hidinglight, his eyes wide and pelt rippling. "Kits?" He squeaked, voice higher than Butterflysight had ever heard it. The tortoiseshell nodded, her eyes glistening. "I was waiting to tell you until after the coyote issue was dealt with because, well..." She trailed off, hazel eyes brimming with emotion. "You told me that we'd have kits-siblings of Bravepaw-during a time when life is well and blooming again," Hidinglight mewed, her voice breaking. "As sure as you are of StarClan, and as sure as you were that you would spend the rest of your life by my side."

Sensing the intimate moment, Butterflysight gingerly padded away from the pair. She found her paws moving towards the apprentices den, and she became aware of a presence falling into step beside her before he even reached her. "Turtlespot's telling us that we have to sleep outside of the apprentices den," Houndpaw mewed quietly. "Nettlefire hasn't come out to say anything."

Butterflysight shook her head. "Of course he hasn't. He lost Hollykit and Webstar in a single night." She raised her light brown gaze to where Turtlespot and Rainpoppy were posted - Butterflysight's brother, Wildheart, was standing in front of the latter, bristling as he argued with the stubborn she-cat.

Houndpaw remained quiet for a moment, his pelt brushing hers slightly in a way that made Butterflysight feel as if her fur was on fire. She struggled to keep her breathing even. "There's been a bit of talk about who's going to be named deputy," He mewed after a moment.

Butterflysight shot the tom a look, forcing her voice to be cold. "That's none of our business, is it?" She asked sharply. "Nettlefire will be the one to choose the next deputy."

Houndpaw studied her for a moment. "It's nearly moonhigh," He reminded the she-cat. Butterflysight stiffened, her light brown gaze swiveling towards the camp entrance, where the faintest sliver of moonlight snuck through.

"Nettlefire can't help that he found out about Webstar's death just hours before moonhigh," She mewed, her voice hoarse. Houndpaw followed her gaze. "Maybe not, but its still the warrior code," He reminded her.

Butterflysight pushed past the tom, merely nodding to Turtlespot and Rainpoppy as she entered the apprentice den. Houndpaw hung back, clearly sensing the importance of her mission. "Riverpaw," Butterflysight mewed gently as the darkness of the den enveloped her. Two river-blue eyes blinked open, staring back at her. "What is it, Butterflysight?" The apprentice sighed, her voice sounding heavy and dejected.

"I just want to know what happened," Butterflysight mewed, sitting back on her haunches and curling her tail around her paws. Riverpaw's eyes narrowed. "I didn't do it!" She protested, rising to her paws. Her voice trembled, falling to a whisper. "I didn't kill him."

"I know you didn't," Butterflysight mewed, pushing aside the inklings of doubt in her mind. She reminded herself of the conversation with Hidinglight. "But you're the only one who has any idea what happened to Webstar. Riverpaw, his belly wounds weren't deep enough to kill him."

That got the she-cat's attention. "What? Then what killed him?" Butterflysight shook her head. "I was hoping you could help me figure it out."

Riverpaw's silhouetted form quivered in the shade of the den. "You wouldn't believe me," She mewed in a small voice. Butterflysight took a step forward, forcing her gaze to be calm and assuring. "Try me," She mewed.

Riverpaw's breaths came in quick, shallow gasps. "He had us split up to place the prey. When I was done, I headed back to where he told us to meet, and he-" Riverpaw shuffled her paws. "Butterflysight, I don't even know what I saw. It looked like this white fog was holding him down, and there was so much blood-" The apprentice shuddered at the memory. "When I ran over to him, the fog disappeared. I tried to keep pressure on his belly wounds but he was already gone." Riverpaw swiveled her river blue gaze towards Butterflysight, pleading. "I know it sounds ridicilous, but it's the truth, Butterflysight!"

"I believe you," The medicine cat mewed, pushing aside the doubt that crowded her mind. She briefly touched Riverpaw with her tail. "Nettlefire is upset - I'm going to try and talk to him. For now, if any cat asks, you found him like that and tried to stop the bleeding, alright? Leave out the bit about the fog."

Riverpaw nodded, a small speck of hope flitting across her gaze. "Do you really believe me, Butterflysight? I didn't always support Webstar, but I'd never do...this." Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"I know you wouldn't," Butterflysight mewed grimly, "But we've got to figure out who - or what - would."


	15. Chapter 15

_I always try, and I always fail to get a chapter out on days that I'm working._

_I'm sorry that this chapter is so broken up. I've been going so slow paced and I want more to happen sooner rather than later with this story. I've lost track of how old Riverpaw/Bravepaw/Tidewhisper's kits actually are by now hahaha._

_Oh well, here you go!_

_To JaySand: THANK YOU SO MUCH! Omg I read your review out loud to my boyfriend. Your comments made me really happy and I'm super happy that you enjoyed Hidden Sparrow's Destiny. I look forward to hearing more from you!_

_To The MoonClanner: I'm sure Hollykit will be bothering all of the medicine cats (in a cute, kit way!) and have plenty of friends in StarClan 3 And do you remember that Riverpaw had a sibling named Hopekit? She died before ShadowClan found the kits, but maybe Hidinglight will remember._

* * *

**Chapter 15**

Bravepaw paced - as best he could, at least - while he awaited Creek's return.

The young tom had indicated that the coyote scent had grown stale for the last half moon, and he had not discovered any new signs of coyotes. Creek was reluctant to be optimistic, but Bravepaw was hopeful that the issue had been managed by his more than capable Clanmates. After much badgering, Creek had reluctantly agreed that, if by the end of his patrol today, there were still no signs of recent coyote activity, the group could begin to follow the river back to the Clan.

"You should save your strength, Bravepaw," The sleek black she-cat mewed from a shaded part of the hollow. "You've recovered, but the way back is still likely to be exhausting." Like Bravepaw, Grassdaze had felt confident that the fading coyote scent was a sign that the issue had been taken care of. And yet, something else seemed to be disturbing the elegant she-cat; something she had yet to speak.

"I'm fine," Bravepaw mewed stubbornly, once again finding his gaze drawn to the shimmering blue stone that he'd held sacred since that fateful day. He stood up taller, determination resounding through his bones. He'd worked this hard, fighting against his own body to grow strong again - he wasn't going to let a bit of tiredness stop him from completing his quest.

At a faint and distant sound, Bravepaw's ears perked up and he leapt to his paws, tail tall and attentive. "Creek's back!" He mewed triumphantly as Grassdaze let out an amused purr. He'd been practicing on paying more attention to his surroundings - and though he hated to admit it, he'd taken a few tips from Grassdaze, too.

Sure enough, the young grey tom appeared, rounding into the hollow with a kangaroo rat hanging from his jaws. His expression was pensive and thoughtful, but his tail lashed with energy.

Bravepaw didn't waste any time; he scrambled over to Creek, ignoring the pain that echoed through his body at the rough motions. "Well?" Bravepaw demanded. "Did you find any more signs of coyotes?"

Creek set the prey down, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes, though he kept his voice level. "No new scents or crowfood. I think you two may be right about your Clan having taken care of them. How they did it, though, is beyond me."

"So we can go now? We're going back?" Bravepaw demanded, practically floating on his paws. Creek looked from Grassdaze to Bravepaw, appearing reluctant. "Alright," He conceded. The white and cream colored apprentice let out a yowl of rejoice, and he scrambled back to the shimmering blue stone he'd held so dear. His eyes shone as he grasped the stone in his jaws, then, without waiting for the rest of his group, Bravepaw padded eagerly towards the river.

Creek's long whisker's twitched with amusement as he grasped the fresh kill in his jaws. Grassdaze padded close beside him, her tail gently touching his pelt for guidance.

* * *

Riverpaw hooked her paw into the water, landing a shimmering silver fish. With a triumphant lash of her tail, she placed her paw on the prey to prevent its escape, and bit into its neck.

"Good catch," Finchberry complimented. "Though I'm not sure many of our Clanmates will like the taste of fish." Riverpaw rolled her eyes. "They'd like it if they actually gave it a try!" She huffed.

Featherpaw was staring with wide eyes at Riverpaw. "How did you do that?" The smaller apprentice squeaked, bounding over to stare at the dead fish at her paws. "Can I have it?" The reddish she-cat turned her amber gaze towards her, and Riverpaw shot her mentor a triumphant look.

"Featherpaw, we need to follow the warrior code," A gruff voice mewed, and Riverpaw tensed as the dark grey tabby mentor approached. She pointedly ignored the apprentice, choosing instead to focus on Featherpaw. "The Clan must be fed first," Rainpoppy reminded her.

Featherpaw's tail drooped. "I know, but-"

"You know, it'd be easier to follow the warrior code if our own leader did." Maplerunner appeared with a water bird in his jaws, setting it next to Riverpaw's catch. The WindClan tom was no friend of water, but he knew that the Clan leader's word was law, and he'd been ordered to join this patrol.

Rainpoppy tensed, whirling with hackles raised towards the brown pelted tom. "Who are you to question Nettlestar?" She hissed. "I don't suppose _you_ know what happened to Webstar?"

Riverpaw winced at the name, taking a step back. Finchberry noticed and gently touched the apprentice with her tail, shooting her a sympathetic look. Despite her mentors comfort, Riverpaw couldn't stop the memories from flooding back. Returning at the meeting place, seeing Webstar, and so much blood...

"It's been in the warrior code for uncountable moons to name a deputy. Waiting past moonhigh is forbidden, and waiting past half a moon is unheard of. Nettlestar needs to acknowledge that he can't hold up the Clan himself," Maplerunner mewed, not even flinching at the grey tabby's accusations.

Rainpoppy huffed, refusing to concede. "That's not for us to decide," She mewed curtly. She signaled Featherpaw with her tail. "Let's practice on rabbits. Do you remember what I told you the most important part of rabbit hunting is?"

Featherpaw's face furrowed in concentration. "Stay downwind of the rabbits, and be fast?" She mewed, her pitch raising at the end in a questioning tone. Rainpoppy nodded. "Good, but that's not all. Maplerunner, do you have any tips?" She turned towards the former WindClan tom, her eyes fiery with a challenge that Riverpaw couldn't place.

Finchberry seemed to pick up on it as well. "Actually, I think we're all set for prey. Featherpaw, you seem to be getting much better at day hunting, there's a couple of mice waiting to be brought back to the Clan, along with the fish and water birds we've caught here. If we don't stop now, we'll have to take three trips," The cream brown she-cat joked.

"If I remember correctly, Featherpaw is excellent at moving more than she could carry. She was completely covered with feathers when she came back with us to the Clan!" Riverpaw purred. The tension in the air dissipated and Featherpaw glanced at her sheepishly. "They're so soft! And some of them are so pretty, these water birds have some green and blue ones!"

Riverpaw grasped her prey in her jaws, holding the fish by the tail. Likewise, Finchberry gathered one of the water birds they'd caught, and Maplerunner grabbed his own catch. A breeze picked up, ruffling the apprentice's fur and freeing some of the feathers from the birds. She glanced up, just noticing that the sky appeared dark and clouded.

As Rainpoppy and Featherpaw went on ahead, Riverpaw found herself hanging back with Finchberry and Maplerunner. "It is deeply disturbing that Nettlestar hasn't named a deputy yet," Finchberry conceded quietly. "While I understand why Rainpoppy is so defensive of him, it's unreasonable for any cat to justify this of their leader. One night would be understandable, but as you pointed out, it's been over half a moon." Maplerunner grunted in agreement, and silence filled the group for several long moments.

"I don't think he's going to make me a warrior," Riverpaw chimed in, speaking around the fish tail in her mouth. "Even though Butterflysight has stood by me, he barely trusts me enough to let me train anymore, and he always has Rainpoppy go with us when we leave camp." She didn't say how much it hurt, having Clanmates she'd been close with stare at her like a freak. She didn't mention how it felt being ostracized from the rest of the Clan.

"I imagine that it's quite difficult, not knowing exactly what happened to Webstar," Maplerunner mewed carefully. "Butterflysight hasn't been able to ask him directly, and it sounds like StarClan has been silent."

"How could they be?" Finchberry wondered aloud, worry etching her mew. "It feels as if we need guidance now more than ever."

* * *

Butterflysight needed guidance now more than ever. Despite how she plead for Nettlestar to choose a deputy, he refused; he wouldn't make a choice for the future of the Clan until StarClan had sent them a sign. He was even refusing to name Houndpaw a warrior, though his ceremony was long overdue. He'd been incredibly reluctant to let Riverpaw train again without anything more than Hidinglight and Butterflysight's words of faith. And yet, their starry ancestors were silent; Butterflysight's dreams were dark and empty.

She'd done everything she could to try and appease their ancestors. She'd even stopped speaking to Houndpaw, for fear that they were angry over feelings she'd kept hidden deep in her heart.

Unwittingly, Butterflysight padded out of her den, brow furrowed and expression troubled. If a sigh hadn't echoed throughout the cavern of the Moonrock, the medicine cat would have almost completely run over the black and silver kit, staring intently at the beams of light shining in from the ceiling.

"Echokit, how are you?" Butterflysight mewed to the she-kit. At first, it seemed as if Echokit didn't hear her, and the grey and white medicine cat settled beside her, blinking patient brown eyes towards the blue eyed kit.

"I'm thinking about Hollykit," Echokit mewed finally. "I keep seeing her in my dreams, and it seems like she wants to tell me something, but I can never hear her."

Butterflysight felt her pelt stand on end at the kits words. "You've been dreaming of Hollykit?" She mewed carefully, hope blossoming in her chest. Echokit nodded, though she appeared troubled, and did not say more.

"You know, Echokit. I've noticed for awhile - Webstar did, too, before he joined StarClan," Butterflysight began, shuffling her paws. "You seem to have a connection with your ancestors that no other cat does. Reading the signs of the moon, and seeing cats from StarClan. I think you may be destined to be a medicine cat."

Echokit leapt to her paws, expression alive with horror. "I can't be a medicine cat!" She wailed. "Hollykit was going to be a medicine cat!"

Butterflysight pushed past the lump in her throat. "But Hollykit's not here anymore," She mewed gently. "And you are." Her words did nothing to appease the kit, who was shaking her head, kit fluff bristling. "Echokit, did Hollykit ever receive visits from StarClan cats?"

Echokit trembled, her wide blue eyes glistening. "N-No," She squeaked, "She wanted me to show her how." Butterflysight's mind whirled as she struggled to find the right words to say to this kit. At once, she was reminded of her conversation with Webstar, after the kits and Riverpaw had discovered the Deathflowers.

"Do you remember hearing about how Tidewhisper, your mother, guided us here?" She mewed gently. Wide eyed, the tiny kit nodded. "She followed the moon, like you do, and because of her, we were able to save the Clans from Cold Paw. She was special, just like you. The Clan could only benefit from having more medicine cats."

Echokit appeared doubtful and dismayed. Her paws trembled. "Hollykit will be mad at me if I take her place," She whimpered. Butterflysight gently touched the kit with her tail.

"Echokit, you wouldn't be taking her place. You'd be finding your own place in the Clan." A deep voice resounded through the cavern, and Butterflysight jumped as the spiky furred tom approached them. Echokit shrunk back, tail lashing guiltily.

Nettlestar studied Butterflysight, his striking blue gaze unwavering. "Did my father really suggest Echokit should be a medicine cat?" Butterflysight nodded. "He was convinced after what happened with the Deathflowers. I hadn't considered it much until now," She admitted.

Nettlestar turned his striking blue eyes to his daughter, and Butterflysight was struck by their similarity; they both had disheveled, spiked fur, and they shared the same stunning eyes that Nettlestar's father, Jaystar, had. "Do you want to be a medicine cat, Echokit?"

Echokit's tail lashed and she shuffled her paws. "I don't know what I want. I keep dreaming about Hollykit," She confessed. Nettlestar looked up to the hole in the cavern where light trickled through. "Butterflysight, it's Half Moon tonight, right?" He asked. The medicine cat nodded. "Why don't you have Echokit join you. It's almost time for them to become apprentices. If StarClan visits her, we will know if it is truly her destiny to be a medicine cat apprentice."

Butterflysight dipped her head before turning to Echokit. "Are you alright with that, Echokit?" She inquired, light brown eyes gentle. The silver and black kit appeared doubtful, but she nodded. "Maybe I'll be able to hear what Hollykit was trying to tell me," She squeaked hopefully.

* * *

The wind was beginning to pick up. It was hard enough for Bravepaw to travel forward without having to worry about sand being thrown into his eyes, and though it was mostly a light breeze, he felt the sting of sand against his pelt like tiny nettles. He raised his green gaze to face a heavily clouded sky; it was the first time since the Clans had come here that he'd seen more than a small cloud in the sky; normally, the sun dominated the daytime.

"Maybe we should rest for a bit. This wind is kicking up sand in my eyes," Grassdaze mewed, adding a hearty, "I may not be able to use them to see, but I can still feel the prickling."

Though his legs ached with what felt like a thousand moons of walking, Bravepaw whirled around, eyes wide with alarm. "What? No! We have to keep going! We've been away from the Clan long enough!"

Creek eyed the sky thoughtfully. "You know, as long as I can remember, the sky has been cloudless here." He glanced towards Bravepaw. "I'm only about nine moons old, though. Let's keep going for now. If it gets worse, we can find shelter. Its just a little bit of wind."

* * *

The sound of wind echoed through the walls of the caverns, sounding eerie and haunting as it ricochet'd against the stone walls. Butterflysight looked up towards the ceiling of the Moonrock cavern, face furrowed in concern. For the first time, not even the slightest glimmer of moonlight shone through.

In her peripheral vision, she observed as Nightkit peered from the corner of the nursery, eyes wide. He normally steered clear of this cavern; the large hole in the ceiling often let in much light, which Nightkit steered clear of. He seemed to feel at ease where his pelt blended into his surroundings, even in the camp. Butterflysight didn't doubt that this timid kit that nearly changed to a completely different cat in the shadows would make an excellent night hunter.

"Isn't this place so cool?" Shadowkit gushed to Nightkit, the larger black tom bursting from the nursery. "Nightkit, Nettlestar and Butterflysight speak to StarClan here! Just like Echokit does!"

Nightkit appeared hesitant. "It's a little better, now," He conceded, creeping silently into the cavern. Suddenly, a flash of black and white burst through, tackling the tiny black tom. Nightkit let out a squeak of terror as Foggykit pummeled his belly. "Got you!" Foggykit squeaked triumphantly.

Almost blending into the shadows, a tortoiseshell she-cat emerged from the nursery, her belly round with kits. "Come on now, Butterflysight and Echokit are going to commune with StarClan soon. They shouldn't be disturbed," Hidinglight mewed gently, gathering the rambunctious kits with one look. "You can play in the main cavern," She mewed over their protests.

A purr filled the air as a tiny silver queen with blue-grey spots entered the cavern. At her heels was Echokit, her blue expression downcast as she trudged to Butterflysight's side. "Thank you, Hidinglight. It's so hard keeping track of all of these kits! Though, I'm sure you'll discover that soon enough." Tidewhisper shot a knowing copper gaze to the tortoiseshell's belly, and Hidinglight dipped her head sheepishly. "Alright, little ones, let's go play in the main cavern," She mewed gently, herding the kits away from the Moonrock.

Tidewhisper hung back, gazing at Butterflysight with something the medicine cat could not decipher. "Be good to her," She mewed gently, shooting a loving glance towards her black and silver daughter before padding away. A shiver of unease spread down Butterflysight's spine, though she couldn't place its origin.

"Well, it's bound to be moonhigh, now," Butterflysight mewed, glancing up once more at the roof of the darkened cavern. "Though it doesn't appear the moon is out tonight."

At that, Echokit spoke up, her voice barely audible. She stared at the Moonrock with a mixture of awe and dread. "The moon is out," She mewed. Without any further instruction, the tiny kit padded forward, settling beside the rock and pressing her nose to its cool surface. For a moment, Butterflysight wanted to object, but it appeared that the tiny kit was already in a deep sleep. She glanced up towards the cavern ceiling once more before letting out a sigh and settling beside the kit. "StarClan, guide our paws," She whispered, pressing her nose to the rock.

* * *

At once, Butterflysight was thrown into a different place than that where she lay. Scattered, broken fangs littered the cavern floor where she now stood, preventing her from making any escape. A roaring filled the caverns, simultaneously filling her heart with dread, and Butterflysight whirled around to see the walls crumbling around her. She let out a yelp of shock, stumbling backwards as a blast of wind strong enough to lift her off of her paws flowed through the cavern.

"After teeth comes wind and earth, and then will come river to drown the sun."

The crumbling walls turned from stone to liquid, pooling around Butterflysight's paws and whirling around her, the wind splashing it up over her face and pelt. She gasped at the water's eerie cold, fighting against the overwhelming current. Above the roar of the water, a single voice rose above the whispers of the rest.

"Beware that which imitates the stars."

The heavy weight of the water pooled above her, and she struggled against it, feeling her breathing growing more and more difficult.

* * *

Butterflysight's eyes shot open with a gasp, but the weight didn't disappear from above her, and all she saw was darkness. She struggled against the weight, finding it to be thicker than water, seeming to crush her from all sides. The little breaths she was able to take were growing more and more shallow, and just when she thought that the darkness would take over her mind, she burst to the surface.

It took her several, gasping moments to gather awareness of her surroundings. A steady trickle made its way onto her head, and Butterflysight leapt back, shaking her pelt in surprise. Rather than wetness, however, she was greeted with a large pile of sand - perfectly surrounding the Moonrock where she had lain just a moment before, and now etched into her thick grey pelt.

"What?" Butterflysight gasped with confusion, shaking her pelt once more to try and rid herself of the sand. She brushed some of the offending earth from her eyes, finding that it didn't help the darkness in the cavern.

Looking up once more, dread sunk its way to Butterflysight's paws; the hole in the Moonrock cavern was replaced with a steady stream of sand. And, Echokit was nowhere in sight.

"Echokit?" Butterflysight mewed, voice etched with panic. "Echokit, where are you!" She leapt at the pile of sand, digging desperately with her paws. Please, StarClan, please have her be alright! She prayed silently. Despite her efforts, however, her paws came up empty.

"Butterflysight, is everything alright?" A gentle voice entered the cavern, and Butterflysight whirled around to face Hidinglight, her pelt standing on end. "I can't find Echokit! I woke up to all this sand..."

"Echokit?" Hidinglight tilted her head, appearing confused. "She's been finished for awhile now. She went straight to Nettlestar afterwards, but you seemed in heavy sleep and she didn't want to disturb you. Nettlestar was just about to call a meeting."

"What? She's alright?" Butterflysight mewed, dumbfounded. As if on cue, Butterflysight heard the voice of Nettlestar echo, calling for a meeting. She momentarily forgot about the incident with the sand and raced out to the main cavern, a million questions whirling in her mind.

Echokit was sitting beside her siblings and Tidewhisper, her head held high. The kits appeared to be trembling with excitement, sharing envious looks and hardly able to contain their whispers.

"Cats of SunClan. I'm sure you all have wondered about who our deputy will be after Webstar's death. I have spent much time ruminating on this, and decided to wait until I recieve a sign from StarClan before I made a decision." Nettlestar looked towards Echokit, his eyes shining with pride, and the tiny kit puffed her chest out a little more.

"I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve my choice. The new deputy of SunClan will be Rainpoppy."

Heavy, thick silence filled the air at their leader's words. Even Rainpoppy appeared to be in a state of surprise and shock. Butterflysight tensed, her eyes wide. Memories of an increasingly temperamental and agitated grey tabby swept through her mind, and she knew in an instant that Rainpoppy was not the right choice of a deputy.

What had happened? Had StarClan truly chosen Rainpoppy?

"That's fox-dung!" A cat exclaimed, breaking the silence. "She's one of our youngest warriors!"

"Yeah, and why does our new deputy have to be a ShadowClan cat?!"

Yowls of protest and diagreement filled the cavern, and Nettlestar tried several times to raise his voice over the noise of the crowd before cats finally settled down. "StarClan has spoken!" Nettlestar hissed, his blue eyes flashing with anger. "The leader's word is law, and I expect you to follow it!" His pelt bristled for several long moments, challenging anyone to speak up again.

Once he was sure that the crowd would remain quiet, Nettlestar's pelt began to lie flat. "There is more to this meeting. There is a cat long overdue for his warrior ceremony. Houndpaw, step forward."

Butterflysight found her gaze inexplicably drawn to the black tom cat's gaze, noticing with an ache in her heart that he avoided her eyes. Even so, her heart wanted to burst with pride.

"Houndpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Houndpaw raised his head proudly. "I do."

"Then from this moment forward, you shall be known as Houndtail. StarClan honors your tenacity and adaptability, and we welcome you as a full member of SunClan."

Houndtail licked his leader's chest as a chorus of voices called his new name, Butterflysight's the loudest, yowling from the depths of her heart; "Houndtail! Houndtail! Houndtail!"


	16. Chapter 16

_Oh my goodness gracious. I missed another week. I'm sorry guys. I've been getting into watching The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu (It is a very very dark show)._

_There will be another "Cats Of The Clans" section in the next chapter! Thank you all for reading and please enjoy!_

_To The MoonClanner: I pictured Creek as being older and wiser than Bravepaw, and in kinda figuring out how old he and Riverpaw are in this chapter, I think I got that kind of mixed up and may have to go back to edit it, I'll see how I feel. Remember, Featherpaw is only a moon or two older than Newtpool's kits. She only just became an apprentice, so either way she'd be about 8 moons old now, maybe 9._

_To Frigidpaw Of LightClan: Oh my gosh! Welcome to the series and thank you so much for your amazing and encouraging comment! I think I have several readers that don't necessarily follow or favorite, but read my story when it comes up on the front page, so there's that. Also, I really like Butterflysight too! I feel like she's had to deal with a lot of isolation in her role as a medicine cat, on top of being a generally quiet cat, which has made her more able to control her emotions (compared to her rambunctious brother)._

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Butterflysight opened her eyes, a sigh escaping her jaws. Another dreamless sleep. She rose to her paws, stretching her limbs and padding out of her den.

She'd grown accustomed to the howling of wind in the canyons throughout the night. However, now the air in the cavern was eerily still, a dustiness filling thickly into her lungs. Butterflysight coughed at the stale air, blinking in hopes of adjusting her eyes to the dim light. Surely it should be daytime by now?

Using her nose as a guide, she padded towards the main cavern, halting at the edge of the tunnels once she noticed that the ground underneath her paws was not hard, cool stone, but soft, crumbling sand. At once, memories of the night before came rushing back, how she'd awoken from StarClan's messages covered in sand. Her heart sunk with dread; Butterflysight whirled on her paws, running through the large cavern, towards the middle where she knew the Moonrock should be.

The sharply raising slope of thick sand confirmed her suspicions; trudging across the cavern became difficult with the immense pile of sand gathered in the center, undoubtedly having collected from the hole in the ceiling. Butterflysight let out a gasp once she felt the slightest brush against her whiskers; the sand reached up high enough towards the ceiling that it was effectively blocking her from going across the cavern this way. She sniffed at the large sand pile, whiskers twitching as several streams of sand crumbled onto her head.

And yet, the cavern was silent; there were no sounds of wind, no sounds of sand trickling from above. That could only mean one thing.

So much sand had fallen in from the rocks above that it completely blocked the space in the rocks, flowing in an increasing slope from the base of the cavern floor to the the top entrance to this cavern, blotting out the sky.

Butterflysight's eyes widened with fear as she stumbled back, sliding back down the slope of sand. What could this mean? Her mind flashed back to the prophecy, the only words StarClan had spoken to her since she'd arrived in this new land.

_After teeth will come wind and earth, and then will come river to drown the sun._

Was this what StarClan had meant by wind and earth? Butterflysight recalled with a start the eerie wailing of wind through the caverns, how the normally clear skies had gone black with clouds just before sun-down.

She raced towards the tunnels, letting out a gasp as her paws slipped out from under her, the sand making her weight uneven. She landed facefirst onto the ground, sneezing at the cloud of dust and sand that rose with the action. Butterflysight struggled to her paws, gritting her teeth, and took this moment to peer into the nursery at the beginning of the tunnels.

Newtpool, Thunderkit, and Quietkit were not in the den. Hidinglight was curled up and asleep, her rounded belly moving ever so slightly with the kicks of her kits. Beside her, Tidewhisper had her tail curled protectively around her kits, and all but one were sleeping peacefully, unaware of the spilling of sand in the cavern of the Moonrock.

Echokit blinked up at Butterflysight, her stunning blue eyes shimmering at the sight of the medicine cat. Gingerly, the silver and black kit stepped around her siblings, padding beside Butterflysight silently. "I want to talk to you about yesterday and what you dreamed, but first I must speak to Nettlestar," The medicine cat mewed quietly. Echokit merely nodded, falling into step beside Butterflysight as she trotted towards the main cave.

"Dewthistle, Blackbreeze, and Redwind will be on hunting patrol," Rainpoppy ordered as the stone walls around them opened to the main cavern. "Wildheart, Maplerunner, and Sparrowdawn, I want you three to do border patrol. Featherpaw and I will be joining you."

Butterflysight noticed that almost all of the cats appeared doubtful at Rainpoppy's words, exchanging uncertain glances. Surprisingly, it was Dewthistle who spoke up first, the timid grey and white she-cat padding forward an uncertain step. "Rainpoppy, the winds only seem to be getting worse outside, and the sand is piling up at the entrance to the camp. I'm not sure if it's safe to be out now-"

Rainpoppy whirled on the she-cat, her pelt bristling and her tail lashing. "Even in storms, we still need to protect and feed the Clan!" She spat, fire blazing in her eyes. "Are you sure it isn't just your loyalty-or lack thereof-speaking for you?"

Dewthistle flinched, stepping back and casting her gaze to her paws. The remaining cats muttered unhappily, but did not otherwise protest against the young deputy.

"There you are, Rainpoppy," A gruff voice mewed, and Butterflysight turned her light brown gaze to see Nettlestar padding towards the group. "Thunderkit and Quietkit are ready for their apprentice ceremony. Let's hold off on patrols until after that."

Butterflysight raced towards the disheveled furred leader. "Nettlestar, may I speak to you? It's urgent," She mewed quietly. Nettlestar's eyes flashed warily before his gaze steeled. "After the ceremony, Butterflysight. SunClan must be kept strong. I've been idle long enough." With that, the tom padded away, leaping with little effort to the top of the highledge. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here for a Clan meeting!"

Rainpoppy took her place beneath Nettlestar at the highledge, her head held proudly. Butterflysight's brow furrowed, and she turned towards Echokit, scarcely aware of the apprentice ceremony going on around her. "Echokit, what did you dream? Are you sure StarClan chose Rainpoppy as deputy?" She demanded, light brown gaze searching.

Echokit appeared caught off-guard by the questions, and she shuffled her paws. "I dreamed about rain," She mewed. "There was a lot of rain, and it was raining on some bright red poppy flowers that surrounded the camp. That's all that I dreamt," The black and silver kit mewed, avoiding the medicine cat's gaze.

Butterflysight sighed, glancing for a moment towards the ceremony going on before them. If she'd heard correctly, Thunderpaw had gotten Turtlespot as a mentor. Now it was Quietpaw's turn.

"Echokit, as a medicine cat it's important that we are certain what our dreams may mean before we take any actions," Butterflysight mewed gently. "Sometimes we may have dreams that don't make much sense at first, but we're able to decipher them later to help the Clan. As your mentor, it will be my job to teach you how to do that."

Echokit shuffled her paws, her blue gaze cast downward. "I understand, Butterflysight."

In her peripheral vision, Butterflysight spotted Quietpaw stepping forward to lick his mentor, Adderspring's shoulder. "Was there any thing else noteable about your dream?" The medicine cat mewed gently, turning back towards the kit.

For the first time, Echokit raised her stunning blue eyes to meet hers. "Yes, Butterflysight," The kit began hesitantly. "It didn't stop raining around the camp. It rained so hard that it formed a river surrounding the camp and leading out into the territory."

A cold chill swept across Butterflysight's spine, and she shivered uneasily. "Did you tell Nettlestar this?" She questioned, her pelt prickling. Echokit shook her head, staring at some point in the distance. "I wasn't supposed to," She murmured, suddenly seeming much further away than even Butterflysight could see.

"What do you mean?" The medicine cat asked, but a commotion in the meeting dragged her attention away from the distant kit. Butterflysight turned towards the rest of her Clanmates, hearing voices of discomfort among the crowd. Riverpaw was padding forward, and Nettlestar had a look in his eyes that Butterflysight could not decipher.

"Riverpaw, you would do well to remember and learn from the mistakes of the past," The grey leader warned, his voice as cold as ice. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Rivershade." Rivershade took an uncertain step forward, but Nettlestar looked out into the crowd, his blue eyes glinting. "This meeting is over," He mewed, ignoring the young warrior.

Butterflysight's eyes widened. She'd only been paying attention a bit, but she was certain that Nettlestar had not followed the proper procedure for Rivershade's warrior ceremony; StarClan wasn't even mentioned. Would they still view the she-cat as a warrior without a proper ceremony? And there was no doubt their leader's reasoning in the latter part of her name.

Having forgotten the conversation with Echokit, Butterflysight padded over to the distraught looking warrior. Rivershade's head hung low and her shoulder's slumped; her river blue gaze was fixed to her paws, but the medicine cat could see that her eyes were glistening.

"You did it, Rivershade," She mewed gently, trying to keep her voice light. "You're a warrior. SunClan's first warrior having been completely trained in SunClan."

Rivershade looked up, blinking through the water in her eyes. "StarClan won't see me as a warrior. And Bravepaw..." The blue-grey she-cat's voice broke. "He should be here too."

"That can't be helped," A voice called; Butterflysight glanced over to see Redwind hesitantly approaching the young she-cat. "Bravepaw made his own choices, Rivershade. You did too, but other than taking the kits out you didn't do anything wrong. You had no idea about the Deathflowers, and Webstar's death wasn't your fault."

Rivershade appeared startled, and her body trembled with sobs at the sight of the tom. "Redwind, I'd thought you'd abandoned me, too," She choked, taking gasping breaths. She leaned against the reddish tom's pelt, collapsing to the stone floor beneath her and pressing her face into his fur.

Butterflysight stepped away from the pair, trouble furrowing her brow. Shadowkit, Foggykit, and Nightkit were overwhelming the proud pair of new apprentices, Thunderpaw and Quietpaw. The former seemed much more energetic and enthusiastic than the latter.

"How does it feel?" Foggykit demanded.

"We're next! We're next!" Shadowkit squealed, practically dancing on his paws. Nightkit hung back, though the light in his eyes indicated that he was just as excited as his brothers.

"Great," Adderspring grumbled from beside his apprentice, Quietpaw, who appeared to be getting worked up with all of the excitement. "Where am I going to get the energy to deal with such rambunctious kits?"

Thunderpaw whirled on the tom, her eyes alight with mischief. "Oh, you don't need to! You can sleep _all you want_ and Quietpaw and I can go off and do our own training!" She teased excitedly.

"Oh, none of that nonsense," Newtpool mewed, licking the top of her rambunctious kit's head. She turned her gaze towards Adderspring. "Quietpaw's no trouble at all, so long as he's away from his sister," The queen assured him, shooting a warning glance towards Thunderpaw.

The red and white apprentice puffed out her chest. "I don't know _what_ you're talking about!" Thunderpaw sang. "Quietpaw and I are going to be the best warriors in SunClan!"

"ThunderClan would be proud to have such energetic apprentices," Turtlespot rumbled, whiskers twitching with amusement. Butterflysight jerked her head to face the tom, eyes wide with surprise. No other cat appeared to take notice of the tom's comment however; Adderspring appeared bored, and Newtpool's eyes were glowing with pride.

The medicine cat brushed aside her concern, spotting the disheveled pelt of Nettlestar as he padded into the deeper caverns. _He must have forgotten that I needed to speak with him_, She thought, her heart sinking. Dipping her head to the group, Butterflysight slipped after the grey pelted leader.

"Nettlestar!" She gasped, catching up to him in the tunnels. Nettlestar turned to face her, his blue eyes curious and guarded. "Yes, Butterflysight?"

Butterflysight slowed her pace, catching her breath. "I need to speak with you. It's about a prophecy I received while Webstar was leader." She began.

Nettlestar listened emotionlessly as the medicine cat recounted her dreams warning her about the coyotes, how the next warning was wind, earth, and river. At the final part, Nettlestar's gaze darkened and his voice turned to a growl. "Rivershade. You would think that she would have learned from her mistakes. After all we've done for her, she betrays the Clan?"

Butterflysight blinked in surprise, her heart sinking. "Nettlestar, Webstar didn't think that river symbolized Rivershade," She protested. Nettlestar raised his icy blue eyes to meet hers, a fire burning in them that she had seen all too often lately. "He also probably didn't think that she would kill him," He hissed.

Butterflysight recoiled, her eyes wide. "We don't know that," She whispered, then more fiercely, "Rivershade didn't kill Webstar! But that's not what I came to talk to you about. It's about the second part of the prophecy. Nettlestar, surely it's daylight outside by now, but if you've been in the cavern of the Moonrock, there's not even a single sliver of light. The entire cavern is flooded with sand. The skies were clouded for the first time since we came here last night. I think this might be the wind and earth that we were warned about. Perhaps it would be wise to hold off on the patrols for now-"

"And do what?" The leader's voice was cold and desolate. "Stay in hiding while our fresh kill pile runs low? We have a Clan to feed."

"I understand," Butterflysight pressed patiently, "But it won't do our Clanmates any good if our hunting patrols don't come back at all."

Nettlestar sighed, pacing a moment. "You're right. For now, we'll assign two cats to keep an eye on the conditions outside. If they seem to lighten up, I'll tell Rainpoppy to send some patrols."

Butterflysight suppressed a sigh of relief, dipping her head. She tried not to think about the immense pile of sand in the cavern next to them, seeming at arms to drown the whole cavern. As Nettlestar turned to go, another thought crossed the she-cat's mind. "Nettlestar, there was one more warning in my dreams," She confessed. "It said, 'Beware that which imitates the stars'. I haven't figured out what it might mean yet."

At the words, Nettlestar froze in his steps, his pelt rippling. Butterflysight's brow furrowed, noticing that the leader's muscles were stiffened. "Do you have any ideas?" She pressed.

Nettlestar was silent for several long moments, before he shot the medicine cat a glance over his shoulder. "I have no idea, Butterflysight," He sighed, voice sounding weary and exhausted. "Isn't that your specialty?"

As he padded away, Butterflysight couldn't help but feel there was something the leader wasn't telling her.

* * *

"This is insane!" Creek gasped, shoving Bravepaw and Grassdaze deeper into the cracks in the stone as the wind whipped and howled around them. The white and cream apprentice gritted his teeth in pain at the forceful jolting, holding his river blue stone protectively in his jaws, but did his best to hunker down in what little shelter they could find. The air was so thick with sand and dust that Bravepaw could scarcely see his own paws, and he kept breathing in gasps of sand.

"If this gets any worse, we'll be buried for all this shelter provides," Grassdaze warned, her eyes shut tight against the offensive sand-carrying wind. "We can't go too far from the river!" Bravepaw gasped around his stone, coughing and spluttering as another mouthful of sand filled his throat. The river blue stone clattered to the earth beneath him, and was instantly lost in the chaos of the storm.

"No!" Bravepaw shrieked, pawing at the piling sand beneath him. He squinted his eyes against the dust, desperately searching for a flash of blue. "I dropped it!" The apprentice's voice etched with panic; he scrambled around Grassdaze and Creek, ignoring their grunts of protests as he pawed around them. "I have to find it!"

"Your rock? Why is that so important to you, anyways?" Creek asked incredulously. "It's hardly the most urgent situation right now!"

"I have to find it!" Bravepaw repeated, forcing his eyes open, ignoring the stings of pain from the airborne sand. He dug desperately at the sand beneath his paws, his hope sinking with each passing second.

"We need to find better shelter," Grassdaze yowled over the roaring wind. "We'll get buried if we stay here!"

"No!" Bravepaw cried, his eyes stinging and glistening with the pain. "I have to find my rock!"

"Bravepaw! We need to find shelter!" Creek cried incredulously. "It's just a rock!"

"It's not!" He hissed. "I'm not going anywhere until I find it!"

Creek blinked at the apprentice with a dumbfounded expression, shaking his head. "Fine! Fine. I'll help you find it." The grey tom leapt beside Bravepaw, sweeping his paws across the sand in the same manner that the apprentice was doing.

"Here! Bravepaw, is this it?" Grassdaze mewed, holding a stone in the side of her jaw. Bravepaw's heart melted with relief at the sight of the blue stone. "That's it," He mewed, trying to blink the sand out of his eyes.

"Alright, let's go! I think I remember seeing more canyon stone further up. It shouldn't be far!" Creek yowled, grasping Bravepaw by his scruff. The apprentice let out a grunt as he was painfully dragged out of their makeshift shelter. "I've got four legs!" The cream and white tom yowled, breaking free of the young tom's grasp.

"Now's not the time for pride, Bravepaw!" Grassdaze hissed, her voice muffled by the stone in her jaws. She pressed against him as he struggled to hold himself up, his muscles screaming for rest.

Walking through the middle of the storm felt like hours. Bravepaw's eyes were clasped shut, only guided by the pelts of Creek and Grassdaze on either side of him. The noise of the wind seemed to blot everything else out, as if having swept the group away into another world.

It felt like moons had passed by the time Creek shoved Bravepaw to the side. He let out a gasp as the sand beneath his paws slipped and gave way to a brief moment of open air, only to be interrupted by another pile of sand.

But something was different. The wind was no longer attacking him from all sides; the air was much more still and easier to breathe.

"Bravepaw, we need to go as deep into the cave as we can. We have to keep moving," Grassdaze urged, sliding into the sand beside him. Creek took his place on Bravepaw's other side, and the pair pressed against his pelt, helping him back to his aching legs.

"Okay," Bravepaw gasped, "Okay."

As they moved, the space around them grew still and dark, the silence a stark contrast to the violent winds just outside. Bravepaw swore his legs would give out, but each time he slowed, his companions urged him forward. Finally, they came to an uncertain stop, filling the air with gasps of effort.

"I think this should be okay for now," Creek meowed, and Bravepaw collapsed to the ground, surprised to find it much more solid than the cushioning sand he had been growing accostomed to in the storm. "Grassdaze, do you have it still?" The apprentice demanded, turning towards the black she-cat. Her pelt was so thick with sand, that she looked to be a light brown color. She gingerly placed the stone in front of him.

Her unseeing eyes opened, fixing him with an intense green stare. "Now, are you going to tell me why this stone is so important?"

"I hope this doesn't last much longer," Creek mewed grimly, his yellow eyes wide. He seemed oblivious to the interaction going on beside him as he settled down.

Bravepaw studied the river blue stone, reminded of eyes in just that shade. "It's for Riverpaw," He whispered. His eyes glistened, though he could hardly tell whether it was from sadness, or from the sand.

Grassdaze remained silent, her sightless eyes still fixed on him, inviting him to continue. After a moment of hesitation, he began to explain everything to the she-cat; how he felt about Riverpaw, and everything that had happened; his promise and how he ended up in the place that he did.

The black pelted she-cat nodded, eyes closed as she listened to his story. Bravepaw shuffled his paws. "So I'm going to bring this back to the Clan. I'm going to show Riverpaw that I kept my promise, and I'm going to win her heart."

Grassdaze remained silent for several long moments. "I think it's very brave, what you've done, Bravepaw," She mewed finally. "I understand where your actions come from. But the thing about love is that, sometimes, no matter what we do, it cannot be won. Sometimes, StarClan has a different path for us, and for the ones we care about." Her voice grew distant with longing and sorrow.

Bravepaw leapt to his paws, wincing at the pain that erupted with the effort. "That's not going to happen! Riverpaw's going to love me when I bring this to her!" He cried.

Grassdaze turned once more to face him, her green eyes and scarred face sad. "And if she doesn't?"

His jaw opened, then closed. A thousand words caught in his throat and then dissipated.

"Will you continue to follow after someone who doesn't love you that way? Who doesn't treat you well, in the way you deserve, because they can't?" Grassdaze continued. "Will you continue to follow after someone who you know wouldn't be happy with you?"

Bravepaw's gaze fell to his paws, to the stone cradled there. His eyes glistened and his shoulders trembled. "I'd do everything to make her happy," He whispered, denial slicing into his heart like a claw.

"But what if that wasn't enough?"

He didn't know what to say. Discomfort prickled every hair on his pelt, and he settled back down, never taking his eyes from the stone. Even when the breathing of his companions settled to a steady pace, he lay awake, never taking his eyes from the river blue stone, just the shade of another lovely cat's eyes.

_What if she _can't_ be happy with me?_


End file.
